Mischief Managed
by binkithewriter
Summary: Sixth year could be just like the previous ones: Malfoy and I constantly arguing with my loud and troublemaker family around us. But with the Quidditch World Cup, a mysterious Tournament, a bunch of foreigners and my life getting upside down, it will probably be the most strange, unexpected and awful year ever. At least I can have a great story to tell after this.
1. The New Marauders' Attack

_**Disclaimer:**_ I do not own Harry Potter and his wonderful world, these are of J.K. Rowling's property, which makes her an amazing and admirable person. Thank you, Jo, for leaving us fans with so much characters and possibilities to play with our imagination. You were right, the stories we love best do live in us forever. I hope all the readers enjoy what I've been typing in the last few days, I will be waiting for your review.

 _Binki_

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter One – The New Marauders' Attack**

For such a stuffed house there was a peaceful silence, maybe because it wasn't even seven in the morning, maybe because I have such a heavy sleep.

I hadn't felt so comfortable as now for such a long time, not that at my bedroom back at my parents' house I wasn't used to have peaceful naps, but I was at the Burrow, surrounded by my cousins Roxy, Dom and Lily.

Also, I could smell, or I was dreaming... Nana Molly's delicious homemade breakfast, the freshness from the typical English countryside coming from the yard through the open window, and the bright sun rays were warming the dark room.

It felt like home and I just loved this sensation.

I also loved not being disturbed, but with twelve cousins and one of them being James Sirius Potter and the other Fred Weasley II I hardly ever got what I wanted.

"WAKE UP, LADIES! IT'S TIME TO WAKE UP!" my dear cousin James 'the prat' II shouted after smashing our door in the wall.

He liked to have his presence noticed.

"Get out, you prat" Lily whispered.

"I AM THE OLDER BROTHER, I ORDER, YOU OBEY!" James shouted out loud.

Doesn't he just know how to speak in a normal tone? What is wrong with him?

"I'M GONNA HEX YOU!" Lily threatened her brother, who just left the room without saying a word.

I opened one of my eyes, curiously glancing at my cousins.

"Did he just left?" Roxy asked incredulous.

The feeling was general.

James was annoying to death, he just didn't leave us alone for being scolded.

He always kept pushing until our patience had reached the limit. And sometimes he exceeded, laughing at you after it.

"Please, I just want to sleep…" Dom moaned, always the sleepyhead.

But before we could even close our eyes again the door was slightly opened and something was thrown into the middle of the bedroom floor.

"What is…" and just as Lily asked, what looked like a magic cube started to jump around, turning to louder and bigger fireworks.

There were rays of electric blue, pink bubble gum, canary yellow and bright green and unstoppable noises.

Dom started to yell scared, Roxy hid under her bed sheets and Lily looked annoyed as ever.

Loud and heavy footsteps could be heard descending the stairs. Parents.

Their bedrooms were above ours since the Burrow had to be extended due to the large number of new family members and following the hierarchy, the oldest the better.

"HEY, IT'S MY PROTOTYPE" uncle George yelled, entering the bedroom "Where did you girls get it?"

"Dad, you are not so naïve, your son is Fred and your nephew and Fred's best friend is James, who do you think that did it?" Roxy asked cleverly.

Sometimes she and Uncle George looked like a mother talking to her son, not the other way round.

That's my family.

He realized how foolish he had been.

Aunt Ginny, on the other hand, walked straight after her older room without even giving us a glance and shouting for James, as she already knew that loud catastrophic events had his digital prints.

"Is anyone harmed?" mum asked me, analyzing my face.

"No, I was having the perfect sleep when James had to be himself before seven in the morning with Fred's little help and disturb me" I grumpily complained.

The fireworks still were shouting loud and colourful. And I could see Dom and Lily's annoyed faces.

"Uncle George, make it stop, please" Lily asked, making her famous pouting to convince him to do what she wanted without hesitate.

Lily has such a power over everybody sometimes.

"Well, that's why it's still a prototype, I don't know how to stop it…" he said graceless "At least works fantastically, and I have to thank the boys for testing it. Good morning, ladies!" and he left nonchalantly.

"Since everybody is awake, you adolescents need to hurry, the portkey is set to leave soon!" mum said while trying to stop the fireworks.

All us girls groaned, Lily headed to the bathroom to take a shower while Roxy was brushing her teeth.

Dom got back to sleep because she was worst than me when it was about sleeping and I started to tidy my bed.

It would be a long day.

* * *

As Roxy, Dom, Lily, Molly, Lucy, Hugo, Louis and I were taking Nana's delicious breakfast while my father and uncle Harry were outside with my mum putting our essential needs to camping in her small enchanted purse, it felt like being in heaven and hell at the same time.

Heaven because I was eating everything Nana had cooked, making piles over my plate. I felt so fortunate for this abundance of happiness.

On the other way I could listen to aunt Ginny's furiously scolding over James and Fred, and sometimes uncle George's fake agreement between trying-to-be discreet laughs.

He was worst than my two cousins together. If uncle Fred was still here the four of them could be the new Marauders that uncle Harry talked so much about.

"I just love the strong, independent and tough women of this family" I said with my mouth full of eggs.

I had to point it out.

"Do you ever stop eating, Weasley?" a ferret's squeaky voice came into my ears.

It was too soon to call it heaven.

"Sod off, Malfoy" I snapped at him, putting more food on my plate.

If we are going to camp I don't know where I had to make the best of this marvellous cooking.

"Language, Rosie" Albus retorted.

He was such a traitor, I'm his favourite cousin and best friend and he took his other best friend's side, doesn't blood still counts on loyalty?

Lily just rolled her eyes mocking at Albus' hypocrisy of scolding me although his usual lack of manners.

"Good morning to you too, ray of sunshine!" Malfoy mocked at me, taking one of my beautiful and carefully selected eggs.

I slapped at his hand, but it was too late.

"How dare you?" I asked angry while he gave me a sarcastic smile and dirty wink.

Not in the sexual way. There was nothing sexual between us. Never. Ever.

Dom and Roxy laughed at my typical exchange with Malfoy of constant bickering and annoying each other. It was almost a sport for us, I guess.

Sometimes I get some fun but usually he really just pisses me of. That arrogant git.

For those who are wondering, how on Earth is a Malfoy seated at a table full of Weasleys and Potters taking breakfast with us and not being strange at all, except for me?

Well, my dear cousin Albus had to befriend him and not only had he done it as he brought him to the Burrow on Second Year.

Since then, Malfoy never stopped coming.

To my lonely disgrace.

I really hoped by that time that our parents and relatives would freak out but instead they were very respectful and comprehensive and forgiven.

How boring.

I expected some reluctance, but even my father accepted Malfoy after he stated that he supported the Chudley Cannons.

Dad sold his soul to that blonde haired and silver eyed and 6'2 tall called Scorprat Malfoy.

Dom called him the personification of the gods of Greek Mythology.

I told her to get a life.

Unfortunately, everybody in my whole family seems to at least appreciate his presence.

I have the theory that he bewitched all my family with dark magic but it just didn't affect me because I have a better sense of judgement and could see through this farce.

"YOU TWO ARE NOT GOING UNTIL YOU GROW UP!" I was scared by Aunt Ginny's yelling.

She must be so intimidating right now.

She and Nana were the only ones that could stop the two prats of making a mess.

"YOU ARE SEVENTEEN, FOR MERLIN'S BEARD!"

"Someone is in trouble..." Al sang happily. He loved seeing James getting in trouble.

It meant he would have peace.

"Blimey! It's time, come on!" my dad called us just as we finished eating.

"Enjoy your time, children! Dom, you should take more food with you, you are looking too thin. Lily, take care of Albus. Rosie and Scorp, don't argue. Molly, remember your uncles to stop at the Scamanders. Roxy, keep an eye on your father" Nana Molly gave us all gentle hugs, as usual.

We said goodbye to our mothers and grandpa Arthur, all of them with strange smiles on their faces.

"What?" Hugo asked to mum, she just didn't master the art of lying.

"You are looking so strange today..." Louis agreed, looking at aunt Fleur, who just winked at us.

Al, Malfoy, Roxy, Lily, Hugo, Louis, Molly, Lucy, my father, uncle Harry, uncle George and I started walking along the path to Stoatshead Hill.

Lily was talking to Hugo and Louis about some Quidditch strategies, her bright red hair in a ponytail that highlighted her chocolate brown eyes. She looked so much like aunt Ginny, Nana always had a tear in her eyes while making this comparison.

She was so sweet. I really loved my Nana.

Bad thing I had to share her with uncles, aunties, parents, brother, cousins and aggregates like Malfoy and Teddy.

But Teddy actually is part of the family.

Dom and Roxy were talking about Dom's holidays at her grandparents house in France and when she escaped to Paris with her cousin Genevieve and her sister Victoire.

She, compared to all the girls of the family, was the most outstanding and impulsive and fearless.

I admired her for such a captivating personality. Besides her one-eight veela beauty, with strawberry blonde wavy hair in a long bob cut, her light blue eyes.

She is stunning.

Albus, Malfoy and Lucy were debating whether aunt Ginny would have mercy and let Fred and James join us on this small family (and aggregates) adventure before school term, I doubted, knowing my beloved godmother, her temper and how she used to deal with her troublemakers son and nephew.

Molly was in the front line with my father, uncle Harry and uncle George, taking the lead to the Scamander's peculiar house.

It had been restored to its old version, when it was the Lovegood's house, before being destroyed by some Death Eaters, dad told me when I was seven.

Mum used to get mad with him and his irresponsibility for telling me "inappropriate stories", but I always had interest about the Second Wizard War that my parents and godfather were the main characters.

Dad used to tell me those stories hidden from mum and I thought he was so creative.

I don't know if I got sad or really excited when I discovered he was not creative and that it really had happened.

"Oh, hey ya Weasleys, Potters and Malfoy, I brought butterbeer cork necklaces to keep away the Nargles. Here!" Lysander, with his platinum locks and wide blue eyes, said in a dreamy voice, handing everybody one of the necklaces.

"Hmm, thanks mate..." Albus said politely, putting his and Malfoy's necklace on Scorpius himself, who stared at him annoyed.

Finally Al did something memorable.

"How odd..." Hugo started whispering and Louis elbowed him on his ribs.

My brother has no filter, just like dad.

"Well, we better get going!" Lysander's identical twin, but not so literally over the moon, Lorcan, said, smiling affectingly at his brother.

Lily sighed by my side, looking at him with glittering eyes.

Oh, yeah, she always had a thing for him, although he is at my year, being two years older than her.

Age has never been a problem for Lily, actually.

"Bye, mother!"

Aunt Luna whispered something very fast at uncle Harry's ear, making both of them smile.

What is going on, for Merlin's sake?

She waved us goodbye, mentioning the Moon Frogs or something like this.

It still took us another hour to finally get into the top of Stoatshead Hill, from where we had a bucolic view of Ottery St. Catchpole, with the Burrow highlighting at the homogeneous landscape with its numerous extensions.

We admired the valley for a while, breathing heavily after our climbing. Actually dad was almost dying, complaining about making such an effort.

"It's good to be back here, it's been almost thirty years uh?" I heard uncle George speaking in a very low tone to my dad and uncle Harry but without really worrying too much since my cousins were very loud when complaining.

Being back? Almost thirty years?

Why would them, the laziest people I've ever know, beside my godfather, climb Stoatshead Hill?

I did some maths.

Then my head clicked and I almost jumped to my feet.

How could we not remember? My cousins and I were so idiot at times.

We begged for them to let us do it but they just refused the whole time.

What a bunch of liars!

I got so excited that didn't see when I tripped over someone and fell over the person's body.

My karma is so strong that it had to be…

"You're so heavy Weasley, watch your steps for Merlin!" Malfoy groaned.

Well, at least I had pissed him even without doing it on purpose.

I just rolled my eyes at his words.

It just seemed the same complaining for me from the other thousand times, it just came to my ears as babbling.

I tried to stand up, but he kept my legs entangled with his, trying to keep his laugh inside his filthy mouth while watching me struggling in vain to recompose myself.

"Let go off me, ferret!" I yelled angrily at him, I hated feeling incapable.

Mainly if it was Malfoy who was leading me to that incapability of standing up and punching him in the face properly.

"Are these the only things you can pronounce based on your restricted limited vocabulary?" he mocked at me.

He was so annoying. Have I ever said that?

"Albus, please, control your puppy" I ordered to Al with my threatening typical glance, exclusive to my cousins and Malfoy, who gave me that annoying smile, pinching me in my thigh.

Merlin, kill me!

"You didn't, you prick!" I almost threw up at him, he didn't have the right to even touch me.

"Don't be such a prude, Weasley!" but before he could even say anything else I pinched his butt painfully, which made him squeal and get so astonished that I managed to disentangled from him.

I tried to throw him one of his smirks, but I just didn't know how to differ what was flirty and how would be mocking, so it probably came out very strange.

I'm such a loser at times.

I turned my back to Malfoy, who was still dumbfounded on the floor, with Albus looking between his best friend and his favourite cousin without a reaction, scratching the back of his head.

The point is, I know where we are really going and I am so excited that when my father yelled at us to join him around the old and rusty can of paint, I was the first to jump to hold it, giving him an 'I already know your plan' to dad, one of those that my mum always threw at him.

As he smiled at me with a 'Not surprised but I wanted that you were not so clever as your mum' look I just laughed.

After all, I was Hermione Granger's daughter, for Merlin's beard.

Before I could say anything else my ocean blue eyes locked with Malfoy's grey ones like if they never had met before, the electricity ran through my body, like if there was a storm coming.

He winked at me mischievously, he already knew what was going on as well.

Does he read minds? Or do I underestimate his intelligence?

Then, interrupting my own silly thoughts, I felt an odd sensation pulling me into my own bellybutton like if I were being teleported to my stomach's galaxy.

There would be plenty of Nana's eggs and toasted bread, for sure.

* * *

 _ **Author's note:**_ Hey guys, please, let me know what you think about the first chapter, your feedback really matters to me to improve my writing.

Don't forget to review!

You can do it using your login or anonymously!

 _Binki_


	2. The 429th Quidditch World Cup

**_Disclaimer_ : **Harry Potter and all its contents are of J.K. Rowling mind blowing fantastic imagination. I own nothing.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Two – The 429th Quidditch World Cup**

There were no eggs from Nana, just a hard and green grass and my face flat on the floor. How nice. I looked around me and could see my cousins were in worst situation, with lost shoes and socks. Dad was moaning for "never getting used to that", while uncle Harry and uncle George landed graciously and laughing at my dad. Harry Potter just never let us down, uh?

"You know, Weasley, seems like you are exactly where you belong!" Malfoy squeaky voice sounded above my head. I was getting tired of that prick.

"You know you shouldn't be here, it's a family trip!" I spat angrily at him.

"Rosie! How rude!" Albus lectured me. That bastard.

"You are such a traitor, Albus Severus!" I yelled at him.

"Not fair playing that card, Rosie! You mock with Scorpius but Albus is the one that has to deal with him 24 hours per day for the last five years!" Roxy laughed at us, always the neutral one. Clever girl.

I deliberated about it. Yeah, poor Albie. But he chose this fate. I just rolled my eyes at them, who were throwing a teasing glance at Roxanne.

"You need to choose whether you are Team Scorpius or Team Rose, Roxy" Louis threw his arm over his cousin shoulder "Fred already opened the bets for this year, you know" he added, winking at me. What?

"Bet?" I asked since I never had heard about it. My cousins, Hugo and the Scamanders smirked knowingly. Why I'm always the last one to know about such things? I looked at Malfoy and he seemed as lost as me.

"Okay children, go there and look down..." uncle George couldn't hide his excitement, is was clear on his voice.

"Dad, I know you like camping but you're sounding not exactly like you today" Roxy said to her dad looking worried.

"Girl, just do what you're dad is telling you, you are just like your mother, Merlin!" uncle George laughed, maybe reminding of his old times. His face fell. Oh no, of course uncle Fred would be in those memories, they were inseparable, they still are, uncle George remembers his twin brother everyday. I always tried to cheer him up when I notice his sadness, because he always did this for me.

"You know I could just screw it, right? I'm just too nice to ruin the moment although..." I looked meaningfully at my father, uncle George and my godfather. But inside I was feeling so excited for being here, would be such a marvellous night!

"Yeah you're always two foot forward the rest of us, even me, your old dad" they smirked at me, I knew that look, they were seeing me as my mum. I got touched by that.

We all walked until the top of the hill and since I'm aware of my relatives usual loud reaction I covered my ears. I knew them too well.

"BLI" Hugo shouted.

"MEY!" Louis completed, they were that synchronized at times, being best friends, roommates and cousins. And the young brothers of older sisters. They had to deal with it.

"DAD, PINCH ME!" Lily yelled petrified. "OUCH, YOU IDIOT!" she looked angrily at Albus, he never loses the opportunity to piss his sister although she could get as scary as aunt Ginny when angry. She inherited her mother's powerful spelling skills and uncle Harry's easy learning capacity. She just smashed her older brothers.

"Why are all of you shouting? Your brains must have gone fuzzy with that amount of Wrackspurt..." Lysander said, looking around with his wide eyes. "Perhaps this bunch of people attracts more of them, I'm hearing such a loud zooming!"

"NO BROTHER! LOOK AROUND!" Lorcan shouted in excitement, taking Lily's attention.

I could see all the sincere and bright smiles on their faces, Lily, Albus, Hugo, Louis, Dominique, Roxanne, Molly, Lucy, Lorcan and even Lysander realized what was going on. Malfoy smirked with that arrogant "I already knew it" look on his pale face. My father and my uncles were grinning proud at each other. As if the brilliant idea had been theirs, I still had to ask who was the genius behind it.

Below us an infinite of tents were lined, many people from all around the world were arriving and descending the hills around the valley. Many adolescents and children and their parents were playing Quidditch, flying with their brooms and flags were swinging in the air.

"Let's go, children. We need to place our tent!" uncle George took the lead and we walked after him through the loads of people.

"WE ARE AT THE QUIDDITCH WORLD CUP! BLIMEY!" Albus shouted at me.

"I KNOW RIGHT! IT'S BLOODY AWESOME! I MEAN, WE ARE IN THE FINALS!" Al looked happily at me, enjoying to share his happiness. "But I already knew it!" I answered, smirking mischievously. His face fell like if he had already heard it before and was living the disappointment again.

"You too? Scorpius just said that to me. Blimey, you both keep disappointing me with that cleverness..." and he left, going to his father's side. He was such a child sometimes. Actually, Albus was the most sensible compared to James and Lily, both were more rational than him, I guess that's why he was the closest to their father, the only person besides me that Al trusts his fears and deep thoughts.

"So insensible you are, Weasley..." Malfoy appeared, taking my right side. I shot him a death glance. He was the other person that had exclusive access to the real Albus Sverus as well, why I'll never understand. "Seems like a troll" he gave that teasing glance.

"You were the first to disappoint him" I pointed out. "And I'm really not in the mood to listen to your babbling... Actually, I'm tired of it" I felt tired indeed, like if when Malfoy and I were arguing I got stuck at my 14 year old Rose. His expression was indifferent, one that I am not used to. So I didn't care if I had been rude, I mean, rudeness is something we are used to each other.

"Rosie, you are delaying our journey to heaven!" Dom shouted. Apparently everybody stopped to look at us. Apparently Malfoy and I were incapable of keep doing other things when one just didn't spat back at the others teasing. Apparently it was awkward.

I shook my head, shutting those thoughts away and ran to join my cousins while Malfoy joined Al. I could listen some laughs behind me.

"Okay, I'll change my bet!" Lucy whispered to Louis.

"Were you and Malfoy agreeing with something without almost killing each other?" Roxy asked me with an interesting look.

"Actually I just didn't spat back to his teasing and said I'm tired of it" I said. It just felt stranger, but I also felt less childish.

"Well done, Rosie. You are growing, it took ages!" Dom mocked at me and I just elbowed her ribs.

Lily was having a very animated conversation with Lorcan, instead to him seemed an ordinary one.

"Oh no, she's falling!" Molly murmured, looking worried.

"It's Lily, I don't think we need to be worried about her" she was a though girl and always had her eyes on a guy.

"You say it because you've never been in love, Rose Weasley, the risk of falling is that you might have your heart broken" Lucy, a twelve year old, said to me in a way that reminded me uncle Percy. I was being lectured by a twelve year old. I felt like ten.

"The iron witch just don't get it!" Dom said, annoying me. So that was the nickname my female cousins gave me just because I didn't date. I already had snogged two or three boys, but I just didn't want to go further. I just didn't have time and the will to face a real relationship, I had already seen Vic, Roxy and Dom and even Lily suffering for love and to me it was not worth it. So before I could develop real feelings I just stepped back.

On the other way, like I just said, Roxy had a boyfriend for two years now, Liam Wood, the Gryffindor's beater and one of James and Fred's best friends. Yeah, they were driven nuts when they discovered it. But with just one glance Roxy made them shut up.

Well, Dom always had a boyfriend, if we could call them like this. They lasted a week, so yeah. Lily dated a muggle boy who lived in her street back in Godric's Hollow and even the discreet Molly had a thing with a Ravenclaw boy. Lucy was too young yet but apparently she knew more about it than me, the iron witch. I was fine, I didn't need a boy at the moment nor wanted to get romantically involved. Ever.

"Or perhaps Rosie just bottle up her feelings, mum once told me that both your parents did it for a long time, you know" Roxy said to my cousins like if I was not there. I rather not to, actually.

"Alright, here we are! Ladies first!" Dad said, opening the tent for us to enter. But his son has no manners and ran into the tent before anyone could step in first.

"I'm starving!" I heard him exclaim, to which dad agreed. They were the same person at times. Mum always remarked that.

"Alright, boys to the left and girls to the right, let's unpack and rest because at six o'clock we need to go to the stadium!" uncle Harry said, checking his watch that once belonged to my late great uncle Fabian Prewett, Nana's brother.

We all started to enter and I just stopped at my tracks, It's exactly how I had read about those magical tents, there was more space than at the Burrow: a wide living room with comfortable couches and cushions, I could see three bedrooms although there as no door dividing the rooms, the kitchen was tiny but had the essentials – Hugo already was in front of the opened fridge.

"You are closing the passage, Weasley!" Malfoy nudged by arm "Move!" he said impatiently. I elbowed him on his ribs, listening to his groaning.

I moved without looking at his face, collapsing on the nearest couch and already closing my eyes. I needed some rest after being violently awaken and then having to climb a hill and then having to deal with Malfoy. Ignoring him was the better method so far that I have tested. But just before I fell asleep I could hear my uncle Harry's soft voice coming from the tent's entry.

"I never get tired of saying it, but I really do love magic..." and then the outside world escaped from me as I could no more hear my loud cousins and everything went black.

* * *

I woke up six hours later to Dom sleeping in my belly and Roxy on my left but then my loud stomach grunted like it didn't have food for weeks and Dom jumped scared. Poor cousin. Roxy was laughing at her face but then a pillow went straight into her beautiful face making her stop. Oh, Dom didn't do it. Roxy and Dom started a war pillow with me between them trying to stop.

"Then Rose is the one that took ages to grow up, uh Dominique and Roxanne Weasley?" I asked them, such hypocrites. They just threw at the same time two pillows at my face. Merlin.

After our war we decided to eat what Hugo left in the kitchen. Thanks Nana for packing so much food or everybody less Hugo would be hungry. Unfortunately Albus and Malfoy had the same idea and joined us, much to my annoyance. Soon, Lily, Molly, Lucy and Louis came as well. With my father, uncles and Hugo taking a bite too.

"Hey, you already ate Hugo, get out of the kitchen!" I told him.

"Leave you brother alone, Weasley! You should be eating, not complaining!" Malfoy said to me.

"Do you ever stop babbling?" I asked not looking at his face.

"Do you ever stop eating?" he retorted with a pissed tone.

Just as I opened my mouth to eat more food, Lily thought that I would answer him and interfered. You still don't know my new methods, Lils.

"Ok Rose, we know you are going to say 'sod off, Malfoy' and then he will answer 'language, Weasley' and you will say..."

"Ok, Lils, I think she got it, she even put more food into her mouth, look!" Roxy said, while I thanked her with my knowing glance. She knew me too well to know that Lily lecturing me made me pissed. Even when I wouldn't do as she said. Because she always seemed right, and she was younger than me, for Merlin's beard. Dad said he also felt this way with aunt Ginny, but it's dad, he had no filter at all.

"Rose, Scorpius, that sexual tension between you gets on my nerves" Dom started, looking at us like Nana did when we argued too much at the dinner table. I choked as she finished her sentence and Malfoy food felt on his plate. What. The. Bloody. Hell. I was ignoring the guy. "I suggest you or to snog other people or snog each other, because as much I love my dear cousin Rosie and appreciate admiring your perfect physique, Scorpius, I am tired of your constant bickering" Roxy was still beating at my back trying to help me with the chocking and Lily handed me a glass of pumpkin juice, while Malfoy was looking with a funny smirk to a chocking Albus.

"Shut up Dom, they are my best friends, I don't want them snogging!" he said irritably.

"It's not up to you, Al" she said nonchalantly, winking at me and Malfoy. She was the devil sometimes, I swear.

"No snogging between my Rosie and bad Malfoy" dad said, pointing his finger at the blonde boy.

"Ron!" uncle Harry scolded my father for the 'bad' part.

"What? I like you, Scorpius, as long as you and Rose keep arguing and don't get too close to each other." dad kind apologised kind threatened Malfoy. He has never been the pragmatic one. Sorry dad, there would be no more arguing, I think I rather to give him the cold shoulder.

Scorpius didn't look intimidated and dad looked like actually having fun, apparently it seemed so impossible, me and Malfoy together, that it was very funny to think about. I thought it was gross.

"Ron is laughing over his nerves because he has always feared you would marry a pureblood, Rosie" uncle George said, teasing my father, who just looked annoyed.

"Sod off, George!" but he actually whispered to me " granddad Arthur would never forgive you, Rosie!" and left me chocking again with my food. Merlin bless Roxy for saving me again, because I felt my own family was trying to kill me. Apparently when I am quiet it makes more effect than when I'm mocking at Malfoy. My family is just mad.

* * *

There was so much people around the stadium and many more inside of it that it was hard to keep our brood together.

"Why don't we split and meet at our places?" Molly suggested, looking at her uncles.

"Yeah, genious Molls, ok, Hugo, Louis, and Lucy, you two keep an eye on your cousin" uncle Harry said.

"Uncle Harry, you know that I should keep an eye on both of them, right?" she pointed out, looking older than she was.

"Probably you're right. Okay, Lily, Lorcan and Molly, stay together" Lily just smiled broadly at her father, hugging him. She was a daddy's girl. "Roxy, Dom and Lysander, and finally, Albus, Rosie and Scorpius" I glanced at my godfather who just winked at me.

"But wait, where are our seats?" Hugo asked dad. He gave us a strange smile, which was the surprise now?

"Just follow the indications to the Minister's box!" dad announced. "This time we got it!"

"No way!" Louis exclaimed. Those simply were the best seats. And the players after the game headed to that box where their family's also stayed.

I groaned, because besides the excellent seats, I hated the press, actually, Rita Skeeter from the Daily Prophet. I got traumatized when she reported everything that happened to us instead of the game, while we were watching the final between Brazil and Bulgaria at the 2014 Quidditch World Cup in Argentina. She was worse than Malfoy when he was annoying me, which happens since First Year. I mean, what's the pleasure of snooping others life, even if we were related to "The boy who lived" or "The golden trio"?

Each small group parted their ways tracing their best strategies to get into our box. I looked at Al, avoiding Malfoy's glance. I could feel his piercing eyes at me, but as long as he stays quiet I'm fine.

"I take the lead, come on!" Malfoy said, I could identify the arrogant tone on his voice. Years with him talking to me like this. I just followed him and Al, tired of bickering. My cousin hugged me while we walked through loads of people.

"I missed you" he told me.

"I spent whole July at your house, Albus" I said to him, but hugged him tighter anyway. I just loved Al. "But missed you two since ferret arrived" I told him, pouting.

"Sorry, it would be easier if you guys tolerated each other like old mature young people. But you two are so childish." he looked at me. Well, dear Albus, 6th Year Rose would be a mature young lady. I wanted to tell him my new plans for this year but not only it was not the right time as I got stuck in his eyes. Although his eyes were exactly like uncle Harry's, that beautiful shade of green, his expression of scolding was just like aunt Ginny's. So familiar.

I smiled innocently at him "I'm lovely, Al, you know it, I never argue, just when he is around, so under the circumstances, the fault is all his." I pointed out to my dear cousin. He just looked at me not believing it. Indeed I never bickered at anyone, only at Malfoy, he knew how to really get on my nerves. That bastard. But I promised to myself that he wouldn't get on my nerves this year. Time to grow up, I guess.

"If you two have stopped with your love session that could turn into the Daily Prophet's headline of tomorrow 'Incest puts fire at the new generation of the Golden Trio', by Rita Skeeter, we are almost there." Malfoy interrupted us, pointing with his platinum head to an entrance that seemed like a waterfall. Oh Merlin, that boy is idiot. Would be hard to me not let him get on my nerves because he just knew very well how to do it.

Al looked at me quizzically. Whether about the waterfall or the fact I didn't spat at Malfoy I didn't know. I chose the less polemic.

"It's not really a waterfall, it's a security apparatus, removes any polyjuice potion disguise, very common at the Ministry and Gringotts" I explained to him, to which I heard Malfoy agreeing.

We headed to the waterfall, passing through it and being allowed to head to the Minister's box.

"Rosie!" mum hugged me back as I hugged her from behind, we were at the same height now, we were so look alike.

"Hey, Albus, Scorpius!" she waved at them, earning a hug from her godson.

"Excuse me, Minister, but there is an issue that we need to solve..." a secretary came after mum as they went to a room with other officials that were organizing the event.

"How is it to have your mum as Minister for Magic?" that voice asked to me, and I had to look at him. Apparently Al left us alone. That bastard, juts because I was trying to implement my new policy. Was I delirious or Malfoy just asked me a true question, without teasing or mocking me, interested in what I had to say? He didn't seem uncomfortable, though. He knew how to hide any emotions he felt that didn't fit the moment, Albus always said. That's how he managed to deal with the hating during First Year for being a Malfoy. I tried to act like that was a normal situation, but it just wasn't.

"Well, can you believe that nobody has ever asked me that?" I was being polite, how odd. The awkwardness of my voice was there, it even sounded squeaky.

He smirked, enjoying the effect he had on me "Maybe because the others think you would punch or spat at them for asking such a private question" but still waiting for my answer. He underestimates my behaviour... Well, given my old Rose, it's understandable. I mean, I wouldn't punch anyone who asked me about it, maybe just feel a little exposed.

"What makes you think I wouldn't punch you for asking me such a private question?" I challenged him.

"Because then you would have already done me and you didn't" he said, how clever.

"Yeah, right. I'm very proud of her, she's so capable for this job, at the same time she's too busy and I miss her, but I know family is first for mum. It's cool to be able to walk around the Ministry with her and watch her with that Minister mode on, but at the end of the day she's just mum to me." I looked at him, noticing that I had sounded more natural since I was talking about my mum. Although Malfoy had that indifferent look on his face. I was not used to it, I mean, I was used to his teasing, mocking, bickering, challenging, pissing off looks. But probably he was not used with us having a proper dialogue as well. So perhaps he just rather hide his feelings behind that illegible facade.

"Mum says that Hermione is even better than Kingsley, because she promotes so much empowerment for women, the index of gender equality has improved, did you know?" he asked me, still interested in what I had to say besides his apparently indifference. More than this, I was surprised for being interested in what he had to say. Because never, ever, I considered having a proper conversation with him, much less about women empowerment. My life gets messed up sometimes, right?

"Yeah, I keep an eye on these programs of gender equality..." I told him, trying to sound nonchalantly when I really wanted to talk to someone about it.

"What do you mean?" He asked very interested now, maybe noticing my hidden feelings. Well, I was horrible in doing it then...

"Nothing..." I said without looking at his pale face. I almost asked if he never sunbathes.

Malfoy shot me a skeptical look. Does he never give up?

Then I was uttering before I could restrain myself "I am the one that idealized the project to improve gender equality in the Ministry, genious. Do you know? That project that mum introduced to the Wizengamot at the Department of Magical Law Enforcement..." I finished my sentence and covered my mouth with my hands, my eyes wide. Why did I reveal my secret? To Malfoy!

"I didn't know you were so engaged to this cause..." he said more to himself than to me.

"I didn't want to bring more attention to me than to the project that is what really matters, so I asked mum to present it herself, but she said that wouldn't trick people to believe she was the author, so she put the authorship under my pseudonym at the Ministry with her as collaborator" I told him just to make clear.

"You look like her, you know" Malfoy's voice came into my ears.

"Yeah, you're not the first nor will be the last to say it. But Malfoy, you don't know a lot of things about me..." I don't know why I said it, it just came out. And why did it just come out?

"You also don't know a lot about me, Weasley, so we are tied" he said, avoiding to look at me. I really wanted to go find Dom and Roxy, our conversation was getting awkward, like if it was not like ourselves. "And I believe in gender equality, before you make any remark of how I don't understand about it or why I am asking you about it" he said in a defensive way. Even quiet I was intimidating? I didn't say anything, Merlin.

"Oh, I... Hm... Never expected you, well, knew or even was interested or much less that you supported this cause..." I said looking at him and around to find my cousins.

"Weasley, you underestimate me at times. You don't know my parents, I was not raised in a sexist environment of Death Eaters, if that's what you think." he said kind challenging me to disagree.

"I'm not idiot like you, Malfoy, if you were a chauvinist I would have already punched you in the face" I told him raising one of my eyebrows.

"That's true..." he agreed with a slight smirk. Yeah, well, someone pinch me please, it just didn't feel real or right. Still, I had been able to have a proper conversation with him, the first ever, I guess.

Mum passed through me, giving me an affectionate smile. "It's time" she whispered feeling a little nervous, she still felt butterflies in her stomach when having to face the public. I thanked Merlin.

I kissed her cheeks "You'll do fine, as usual" I said in a reassuring tone, she gave a thankful look and headed to the front of our box.

Suddenly my cousins took me and Scorpius to stand beside mum and my uncles and aunties and even my grandparents Weasley and Granger were there. The latter were so proud of mum for becoming Minister for Magic that they wanted to proudly flaunt their daughter to their muggle friends but, well, it just couldn't happen, so they always came to events like these or visited her at the Ministry.

Mum pointed her wand to her throat to amplify her voice, "Good evening everyone, is with great pleasure that I, as Minister for Magic, Hermione Jean Granger-Weasley, welcome you to the final of the 429th Quidditch World Cup of 2022" the crowd, even us, cheered loudly, making mum discreetly laugh "Let the match begins!" and fireworks exploded in the air.

"YEAH" my cousins yelled as we recognized the fireworks from being a Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes product, with a giant ENGLAND written in red and white. Among the loud cheering from the stadium the English National Quidditch team entered the pitch through the fireworks, turning them into those three yellow dragons from their emblem. As they did some maneuvers my cousins and I cheered "GO ENGLAND!"

"COME ON WOOD!" Roxy yelled at her father-in-law, I noticed her boyfriend Liam, and also Oliver Wood's son, by her side, cheering for his dad as well.

"ENGLAND! ENGLAND!" Hugo and Louis were shouting, while I could see by my side Al and Malfoy with their arms at each other's shoulder tangled with the England flag. Lily and the Scamanders were cheering as well with amazed looks on their faces, even Lysander seemed to be in our dimension while admiring the player's maneuvers in their brooms.

Dom and Victoire, on the other hand, didn't know to which team they would cheer for, as they had the English flag draw at their cheeks but were holding the French flag with aunt Fleur yelling for France.

Suddenly the French National Quidditch team entered the pitch and for some people surprise, not to me - I really liked Quidditch and read a lot about it - it was an only women team, for my delight since the English team hadn't have a women for decades. They were wearing blue and white and as they fled through the pitch with their team forming an A, blue, red and white colours were painted in the air during their flight, making Dom, Vic and aunt Fleur cheer very loudly.

Since at the box everybody except them were English all the heads turned to them, some with funny glances, others with pissed looks.

"GO FRANCE!" Dom yelled, earning a glad smile from aunt Fleur.

"YOU'RE A TRAITOR TO THIS COUNTRY, DOMINIQUE!" Albus shouted, making all the family laugh, even Dom.

"AUNT HERMIONE, YOU SHOULD TAKE HER CITIZENSHIP AND DEPORT DOM TO FRANCE!" Louis yelled to my mum, making her roll her eyes.

"Sure, dear" she said smirking to him.

"I'm your sister, you bastard!" Dom said.

"Language, Dom" all the parents said, making us laugh.

"And the sound of the whistle starts the match! France against England!" Lee Jordan, the Quidditch commentator and uncle George's best friend, shouted "Lefevre gets the quaffle, Petit, Fournier, Wood is in position, 10 points to France, opening the scoreboard!"

"Can you believe it, Rosie? England is in the final! It's been centuries!" Al said excited, I couldn't hide mine as well.

"I KNOW RIGHT!" I yelled at him, both of us giggling like children on Christmas morning.

"10 POINTS TO ENGLAND WITH GILBERT!" Lee shouted making the crowd cheer.

"I WAS GOING TO SAY YOU ARE TOO LOUD, WEASLEY, BUT LOOK AT THIS!" Malfoy shouted at me, making me truly laugh. Neither he could mess with my current mood.

"Whitehall now has the quaffle, he is flying to the rings, Gilbert, Whitehall, Florence, oh a bludger from Lambert, Florence loses the quaffle! Petit, great shot but Wood defends! Florence again, but Marchand gets the quaffle! England is having a though time! Marchand sees the snitch, Bates flies to her direction, WOAH, a bludger from Powell almost knocks her off her broom! Marchand and Bates lose the snitch!" Lee commented, I just didn't know how he could speak so fast and yet make it understandable.

I really love Quidditch. I'm in Gryffindor's team since fourth year, as many of my family members. I remember when I got in that Fred, James and Roxy already were on the team and some students from Slytherin and Ravenclaw accused us for monopolizing the team since are only seven players, "10 POINTS TO FRANCE, GREAT SHOT BY FOURNIER!" but Gryffindor just ignored them and after we won the Cup that year nobody criticized anymore. Indeed, there was something in our blood that made everyone of us turn into a great Quidditch player, there were exceptions, of course, "10 POINTS TO FRANCE, THESE GIRLS ARE ON FIRE!" like Molly and Lucy, even Louis didn't like very much to play. The rest of us, nonetheless, we played during all summer at the Burrow with our parents, there were exceptions as well, like my own mother, aunt Audrey and uncle Percy. "AND ENGLAND SCORES 10 POINTS!" But even aunt Fleur and enjoyed our matches.

"Whitehall, Gilbert, Whitehall, Gilbert and Florence knock Lefevre and Petit off their brooms, Lambert is distracted, Leblanc loses the bludger, are they English team trying to make the Rowntree Counter? Whitehall with the quaffle, passes to Florence, who kicks around, back to Whitehall, Powell almost knocks Lefevre, IT'S THE ROWNTREE COUNTER!" Lee voices sounded through the stadium.

"I TOLD LEE THAT IT'S A ROWNTREE COUNTER" well, that was not Lee's voice. It sounded more like...

"Scorpius, am I mad or my brother just yelled for the whole stadium to listen?" Albus asked Malfoy, who just looked as confused as my cousin.

"NO, I DID IT!" another voice shouted, a very familiar one.

"Ok boys, no need to fight, right? We have a game to comment!" Lee said. Boys? "Would you like to introduce yourselves to the crowd of the 429th Quidditch World Cup final?"

"HELLO THERE, I AM JAMES SIRIUS POTTER, YOUR MOST HANDSOME COMMENTATOR FOR TONIGHT! BY MY SIDE IS MY ASSISTAN-"

"I SAY, HELLO THERE! IT'S FRED JOHNSON-WEASLEY, AND WE ARE HERE TO JOIN LEE WITH THIS BLOODY AMAZING MATCH!"

"Oh no, they didn't" aunt Ginny said, everybody looking at her and aunt Angelina. She was strangely quiet. If I were their mother I wouldn't know what else to do as well. Or I would be at St. Mungos treating my mental health.

'NOW-" James was saying.

"Okay boys, time for a professional! Oh, a bludger right into Gilbert's broomstick, who loses the quaffle! Now France, Fournier, Petit, she swings across Lefevre, Petit has the quaffle, Leblanc distracts Wood with the bludger straight into his right arm, Fournier, 10 POINTS TO FRANCE WITH THE WONDERFUL BLITZEN BALLET, THEIR DEADLY MOVE! Oh, MARCHAND AND BATES SEE SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PITCH! BATES TAKES THE LEAD! GO ENGLAND!"

I noticed how my family and I never have a discreet, quiet and normal meeting. James and Fred always had to do something, they always find a way of doing things how they wanted to. Their freedom and fearless really envies me at times, I had to say.

* * *

 **Author's note:** Hello there, I know there are some of you reading my new story, although I was left confused since nobody reviewed about the first chapter. I just want to make clear that I really appreciate your feedback and I also really need it, now I understand when the authors say that feedback pushes them to write more and better. I don't know if you guys hated, or loved, or found it interesting or not, so please, just give me a feedback, write your review! If nobody does it I'm not gonna feel safe on keep posting my story, since it's my first one I'm still not 100% with my writing. I'll be waiting for what you guys have to say to me,

 _Binki_


	3. Blimey for the hundredth time!

_**Disclaimer:**_ Harry Potter is not mine, unfortunately.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Three – Blimey for the hundredth time!**

"Blimey! What the bloody hell was that?" I could hear Albus asking to Malfoy.

Even I didn't know how to answer him. Actually I think that nobody knew how to do it. Let's be honest. That was insane. She was insane.

"I want to be like her!" Dom exclaimed, looking at me with her wide eyes. She was creepy looking like this, reminded me of Lysander when he was being normal. Even though the last word we could use to describe him was 'normal'.

My dear best friend Ella Grace Richards said he has a 'unique and peculiar' charm. I just think Ella is too nice to call someone 'creepy'.

"You can do it Dom" I said at the same time that Albus said, "You need to improve a whole lot then" smirking mischievously at her.

"Don't stick your tongue out, Dominique!" aunt Fleur scolded her daughter.

My cousins and I just smiled at each other, aunt Fleur always said that to all of us ultil we were ten years of age.

"Some of us just don't grow up, aunt Fleur!" I laughed.

"You have no moral, Weasley!" Malfoy mocked me.

Merlin, I was trying to avoid arguing with him, and being childish with him, and trying to avoid him at all. It seems like if he already knows my plan and wants to ruin it, just like he always does.

I tried just to roll my eyes, but I'm still new at being mature and all "Neither do you, Malfoy!".

"ENOUGH YO TWO!" Lily yelled at us, looking annoyed.

Malfoy had that perfect and mischievous smirk on his face, I reacted exactly like he wanted me to. I couldn't keep on giving what he wanted. Merlin, help me.

"HEY GUYS!" James shouted at us, entering the Minister's box. Okay, mum's box. Sounds more real.

"JAMES!" aunt Ginny yelled at him while Roxy said "You are so loud, James!", covering her ears.

"Where is Fred, James Sirius?" aunt Angelina asked in a more controlled but not less intimidating tone than aunt Ginny's.

"He's dead" James suddenly got serious.

"WHAT?" even I yelled at him now.

"Of love, he's dead of love!" James laughed at our scared faces.

"James, not appropriate, son!" uncle Harry lectured him. This boy had no manners, no filter and no seventeen year old brain. But Malfoy was right, neither I had a brain adequate for my real age.

"Yeah, alright dad" James smiled at his dead, pulling his hair out of his eyes. He still was a charming, so many girls at Hogwarts always said that. Disgusting, that's my cousin.

"Hello..." Fred entered the box, with his eyes as wide as Lysander's. Merlin, why is everybody looking like him? "Did you guys see it?" he asked, looking to Roxy and his father.

"I'm seeing you. Locked in your bedroom. At our home. Until the rest of summer!" aunt Angelina whispered to him with her threatening brown eyes.

Fred still didn't seem to care "She is wonderful!" he murmured, sitting at the nearest couch, closing his eyes and smiling.

"Who, Freddie?" Roxy looked worried, as I did. Both of us took a seat beside him, our family gathered around. Mum looked like having fun, like if she had seen it before, dad and uncle Harry seemed nostalgic, aunt Fleur and uncle Bill just smiled at each other – maybe wondering when they would see Louis with that look on his beautiful face – and uncle Percy seemed uncomfortable, like if knowing about one of his nephew's love life wasn't appropriate. He was so... old, sometimes. Even my grandparents Weasley and Granger seemed interested.

"Oh, young love and the effects it has over us..." granddad Arthur said, hugging my Nana Molly. How sweet, will I ever have this kind of partnership? Will I ever want it, actually?

"Amelie Marchand, of course!" James blurted out, apparently he did a favor because Fred looked paralyzed, like if he just couldn't do anything besides drooling.

"Fred makes look like being in love is silly" Lily commented to me, impressed.

"Because it is, Lily" I whispered to her, giving Fred a glance to imply that he is the personification of silliness.

"Who is Amelie Marchand?" Molly asked uncle Percy.

"Molly, you still didn't understand that dad doesn't know anything about Quidditch?" Lucy said. Merlin, that girl is so clever and prompt.

"Amelie Marchand is the glorious, fantastic and très jolie seeker of France!" Fred exclaimed, smiling at us. Well, he looked really dumb.

"Oh yeah, she is like a ballerina, dancing through the air and..." Albus was saying, looking as amazed as Fred.

James and Malfoy exchanged a funny glance between them.

"Okay Fred, stop babbling, you and James. Now." my aunt Angelina and aunt Ginny said to my cousins.

"Mum, why are you mad? I just commented the final of the Quidditch World Cup! Aren't you proud of me?" James asked aunt Ginny.

She looked rather disappointed at him. I had never seen her with that look. She seemed quite sad "You know what, James. I'm trying to make you grow up. But you don't listen to me and your father. You don't listen to anyone. As much as I appreciate your free spirit, you have responsibilities."

I had never seen my aunt like this, have I said that already?

James noticed that he had to take his mother seriously now. Merlin, as least he isn't that stupid. My uncle Harry just pointed the exit to his eldest son, taking aunt Ginny by his side. Suddenly I felt worried and sad, my dear cousin was so quiet and serious that I almost couldn't recognize him. He was clever enough to follow his parents, giving me a glance that meant 'I talk to you later'. James always come to me when something really bad or sad happens to him, apparently he didn't like to expose himself so much to his siblings or other cousins. I feel really flattered by his trust on me.

"How did you both manage to leave the Burrow?" Molly asked to Fred.

He just followed her voice to find her, glancing at her with wide eyes.

"I have to take a photograph of this moment to make him embarrassed for being at this state of numbness" Roxy said, pointing her camera to her brother.

"Don't worry, Miss Weasley! We already registered the gathering of the whole Weasley-Potter family! It's gonna be headline tomorrow at the Daily Prophet!" a squeaky and annoying voice sounded behind my mother, making her roll her eyes.

"Miss Skeater, that area is not allowed for the press yet" mum said in a polite tone. I know how hard it is for her to not simply being able to spat at Rita Skeeter.

"Well, but I am almost a family member, I was the first to interview 'the boy who lived' and I registered the beginning of your famous love life..." her annoying pen was in the air, like looking at my mum waiting for her answer.

"Please!" I said annoyed. That woman made my blood boil, even worse than Malfoy "You are not welcome and won't ever be part of my family, so just get out of here while we are being polite." I spat at her, rolling my eyes..

"OH" Rita just said, looking at me with hurt.

"I'm even feeling ashamed for you right now, Skeeter" Lily murmured, looking at her nails and them at Rita with a raised eyebrow.

"You two are the exact mixture of your parents... Peevish, stubborn, too fierce and cunning for my taste" Rita raised an eyebrow at us.

"Good thing we don't care about your opinion..." I whispered.

"Leave my family alone, you devious! I am done with your eavesdropping and your nasty writing!" my Nana Molly yelled at her while my granddad Arthur had to restrain Nana from attacking Rita. If she was really intelligent she would back off, because Nana is explosive when someone gets on her nerves. See, genetics don't let me be a perfect, quiet, calm and polite like a princess.

"Let's just see if this year you are going to do like your parents as well" Rita said, smirking at our confused faces and taking some steps away from my grandmother. My grandparents Granger were quiet analyzing our exchanges, maybe it was better or Rita would annoy them and they were too good people to spat at her.

"What?" Molly asked to her father, he seemed nervous.

"What is going to happen this year?" Dom looked questioningly at my mum.

"Oh, I see you take 'confidential' very seriously, Miss Granger" Rita glanced at my mum, challenging her.

Rita Skeeter reminded me a cockroach, her last name, the way her high heels clapped making a pitchy noise, how she moved her nose while babbling. Because that's what she does, she babbles. Those ridiculous glasses at the end of her nose, those ridiculous pointed nails.

"I am truly professional, that's the difference between us." mum gave her a final glance, turning to me "Shouldn't you guys get back to the tent to rest and then be back at the Burrow tomorrow morning?" she gave my dad a look like if we really should leave now.

"Yeah, right, come on, Rosie, Hugo, all my nephews and nieces and aggregates" my dad and uncle George lead us to the exit after we said our almost endless goodbyes. Apparently Fred would go alone to his home with his furious mother.

"Your mother is better than you at controlling her temper..." the ferret's voice came by my side, the usual teasing tone.

Our conversation about the Ministry seemed such a long time ago because that annoying Malfoy I was used to.

"Yeah, that's why she is the Minister, genious" I pointed to him "But I really admire mum, that woman, Skeeter, has a horrid personality, it's almost impossible to deal with her".

"I know, she always writes crap about my father..."

"Really?" I was surprised.

"You need to take a look around you and not only to your belly button, Rosie" Dom laughed while pinching my arm, running to get until Roxy and Molly.

"She's right, you know" Malfoy smirked.

"Of course you agree, you prat!" Oh no, I was failing again. Shut up, Rose Weasley. "Your favourite sport is 'pissing Rose off her mind' but let me tell you, YOU WON'T GET IT ANYMORE!" I spat at him, trying to follow the pace of the rest of my family.

But I just felt a warm hand in my left arm, making me turn around to face Malfoy. He had a strange look, his eyes were glittering with... "Are you challenging me, Weasley?" he asked with his typical smirk.

"What? Are you mad?" what the bloody hell did I do this time to be rewarded with that expression on his face.

"No, you are challenging me!" he said like if he suddenly was a genious. Which he was not. Of course.

"You went nuts, Malfoy, I didn't say anything! Merlin's beard! Even when I don't intend doing something things just..."

"I got it, Weasley, let's see then if 'you won't get it anymore'" he mimicked my voice in such a forced tone that I had to hold my breath and count until ten 'Dumbledores' to not hex him right now. I'm underage, I know. But Azkaban may be worth it if I end shutting him up.

"You..." I was starting to yell at him when I remembered that he had just challenged me, "... are a..." Malfoy looked at me with a 'I am the winner' glance and I recomposed myself "You know, you shouldn't be so arrogant". I smiled at his annoyed face.

"Well..." he approached more than I was used to "Let the games begin... And we'll see that I am the winner because I have so much more self-control and a better temper and personality..."

He was babbling again. I just got lost at his words.

"Yeah, yeah, let's see, now leave my arm, I want to rest peacefully at my tent" but I looked around and couldn't find a bunch of gingers.

"Until Christmas, Weasley, you will be saying at my feet that I am the winner and you failed in our challenge..." he teased me.

"Stop babbling, Malfoy. We are lost! You prat! It's your fault!" I shouted at him, spinning around me to look around.

"Mine?" he was looking around as well "It's your fault, I was right behind you!" he pointed accusingly at me. One Dumbledore, two Dumbledores, three Dumbledores... I had to count on my head to keep my mental health.

"Apparently you are incapable of walking while talking to me, so YES IT'S YOUR FAULT, GENIOUS!" I started walking away from him, I didn't know where the tents were, there was a lot of people surrounding us and well, I was all by myself with Malfoy. And the stadium was closed already so mum must have already left with the rest of my family.

"Don't yell at me, Weasley, your voice makes me mad!" he whispered, massaging his temples.

"Well, aren't you the 'self-control' master? Them solve our problem, genious!" I said in a sarcastic tone, not looking at his face.

I could feel his piercing eyes on me, probably eager to kill me. If we had something in common was our unsatisfied will to kill each other.

"Well, use your wand then, 'genious'" he mocked at me mimicking my voice like when I call him sarcastically as 'genious', 'cause let's face it, he is everything less a genius.

"I am underage as you, genious!" I rolled my eyes, this situation was getting riddicullous.

"Aren't mummy the Minister? Come on!" he said impatiently.

"It doesn't matter, ferret! Merlin, I thought you were second of class!" I was trying to think what to do, the least thing I needed was arguing with Malfoy while we were lost after the final of the Quidditch World Cup. England already had lost! But Marchand had been brilliant indeed...

"Actually I should be first of class..."

"If we were not in the same year, okay, okay... Merlin" I recomposed myself "Let's go where the tents are and maybe we can find someone we know"

"That's your brilliant idea?" he smirked at me like if I had lost something.

"Seriously? Are you dumb? Did you have a better one because all you do is babble!" oh no, Rose, I need to control myself, Merlin, it shouldn't be so hard.

"Someone is losing..." he pointed out.

I give up on him, seriously. I just walked forward, not looking back to see if he was right after me. But I could hear his heavy pace, he even got near to me so we wouldn't get lost from each other. Perhaps it would be better if I got lost from him.

Even though England had lost the Cup I could see people around me enjoying themselves in small groups around the bonfire and interacting with people from other tents. I really loved that collectivity. That's why I love the Quidditch World Cup and got really sad when my parents told that me and my brother we couldn't go. Apparently after the previous Cups that we had gone our family got mad at the Daily Prophet for exposing us when we were just children. It got worse when Rita Skeeter tried to invade our Christmas celebration when I was eleven. She tried to interview Albus and I to make us headline about how 'the golden trio was returning' to Hogwarts. She really needs to get a life.

"SCORPIUS!" a voice yelled from behind me and as I turned around I saw him. Caramel skin, beautiful hazel eyes, curly brown hair, almost as tall as Malfoy.

"Hey, Matteo!" they hugged each other like if they hadn't met for a long time.

"Oh, I see you are accompanied..." the boy looked at me with inquiring eyes. "Hello, Rose!" he said to me politely.

"Oh, hi, Matteo..." I said his name even though I didn't have any idea who he was. I didn't even know he knew my name or who I was, maybe the hair said it all...

"We are lost, actually, we are not together..." Malfoy rolled his eyes at the boy, who just smirked broadly.

"Matteo, who are you..." a male voice came from the tent, and a tall man appeared in front of us. "Scorpius... Your parents said you were at the Potters, camping..." he exchanged a glance between Malfoy and me. "I didn't know you were dating..." he glanced questioningly, looking at my hair, of course "... a Weasley..." he pronounced my name in a weird tone, almost like if he was afraid to do it, I didn't know how to react to it, so before I could see I approached the only person I really knew there, Malfoy.

I could feel his eyes on me, when I locked mine on his silver ones I noticed his serious expression, like I had never seen before, "Uncle, we are not dating" he said in a strong tone, not feeling intimidated by, well, apparently that man is his uncle, "but I don't think there would be a problem if we were... Dating..."

Gee, thanks mate? Well, that boy surprised me. I thought he would say something like 'don't be a fool, uncle, never ever I would do it, look at her". Perhaps I should stop to underestimate Malfoy.

"Yeah, sure" his uncle simply said, without expressing any emotion "your aunt misses you, you should write to her" and he went back to the tent. I still could sense the tension though. His uncle was intimidating.

"Sorry about that, the war is still happening inside his head..." Matteo looked apologetically at me.

"What do you mean?" I asked him, my voice shivering a litte. Blimey, I hate not being able to conceal my feelings when I speak.

"Nothing, Weasley. Now, we have to find our tent..." Malfoy said to me but not looking at my eyes, but to his cousin, like if they were having a silent talk. A bunch of weirdos, they are. "See you next week, Matteo..." he gave his cousin a final glance, putting a hand to my back to guide me forward. Just as we started to walk away we heard Matteo's voice calling us.

"Wait, I think I might help you, guys..." he approached us, taking the lead. We just followed him, I mean, we have nothing to lose. And Matteo didn't seem to be like his strange father and seemed to respect his older cousin. He kept a certain distance from me though, walking ahead.

"Weasley..." Malfoy's voice sounded behind me, I could feel his hand still on my back, surprisingly it didn't feel uncomfortable, I appreciate what he did. I don't know how to say what he did though. "About my uncle Blaise..."

"Oh, that's the name of your lovely uncle?" I mocked, I felt really strange, not knowing how to describe what had just happened, I felt uncomfortable since I always had control over what happens and the words and everything.

"Yeah, Blaise Zabini, he is married to my aunt Daphne, my mother's older sister, and that's their son, my cousin, Matteo Zabini, he is at the same year as Hugo..." he explained to me. Well, it's awkward to know about Malfoy's personal life, I knew nothing about him. I didn't even know that Matteo has been studying in Hogwarts for three years already, that he is Malfoy's cousin and that he is at the same year as my dear cousins Lily, Molly and Louis and my little brother, Hugo. I felt vulnerable, I mean, he has known my whole family for such a long time and I knew nothing about his. Only that his grandfather was still in Azkaban. "Anyway, he... He is not like my father, what I mean is..."

"He still is a Death Eater, then?" I asked in an acid tone, implying that his own father had been one.

Malfoy gave me a hard look, I saw anger there, but soon there was indifference, he was covering his feelings to not expose them to me. Malfoy's hand dropped from my back, and his long legs got a faster pace to leave me behind and take one of his cousin's side. He gave me a final hard glance before I could only see his platinum blonde hair.

He was mad at me and I was not feeling glad about it. Honestly, mum and dad always made clear that we shouldn't take over the war to insult other people. Actually it happened when I said to Albus he shouldn't walk around with a Death Eater's son and he reported what I said to my parents, they went crazy with me. That's when my parents and my godparents, Harry and Ginny, seated with me, Albus, James, Dominique, Fred and Roxanne to talk about everything that happened at the Second Wizard War. After that none of us ever used the war to mock at anyone, much less to Albus' new best friend, Scorpius Malfoy.

He never said anything mean about the war to me, I had to admit. Maybe it had been low of my part to have used the 'death eater' card against him after all these years. I was feeling really bad actually. See, Rose Weasley has a heart and feelings, even when it is about Scorpius Malfoy.

Blimey! That boy is my death, he made me feel all kinds of sensation, anger, frustration, humiliation, hate, irritation, bipolarity, and now, sadness and guilty.

I hate when I didn't know how to deal with something, like now. We were in a challenge, I just couldn't give him the taste of victory. On the other hand, even though he pisses me off so much, Malfoy had never been that mean like I did. Suddenly I felt so inferior and so small that I wanted to become a small ball, like mum's old cat, Crookshanks. Should I apologise? Should I just act like nothing happened? Should I just ignore him? Merlin. Grandma Granger always said to Hugo and I that we should give to the people we hurt their own time and then apologise, and that sometimes saying more than you already did might complicate and make things worse.

I hurried my pace to keep together with Malfoy and Matteo, but they didn't notice my approach. They were whispering but trusting in the loud people aorund us to still make it audible for me.

"I'm wondering, Matteo, how do you bloody know where the Weasley's tent is..." Malfoy said.

"Well, I just saw a bunch of gingers and well, they are very noticeable, did you know?" Matteo asked his cousin.

"Yeah, I know it, I'm Albus' best friend, remember?"

"Well, right..."

"Matteo, why did you keep your eyes on them?"

"Well, what do you mean, Scorpius?"

"I know you, when you say 'well' all the time it's because you are nervous and hiding something..."

"You are so annoying, has someone ever told you that?" Oh, Matteo, I always do... _'but maybe you won't do it anymore after been so mean, Rosie'_ my consciousness said in my mum's voice. Blimey! Even deep inside me I was considering myself a mean person.

"Weasley always does say it, thank you, Matteo" Malfoy said in a sarcastic tone, I could even imagine him rolling his eyes like when we were bickering at each other. Merlin, I shouldn't know him so well.

"Which one of them?" Matteo asked curious. Clever boy.

"Rose, of course, which one of them do I spend the whole year fighting with?" Malfoy asked like if it was obvious.

"Yeah, right. Dumb question..." he hesitated, like if he had something else to say. "Alright, well, you are right..."

"I always am, now, spit it out!" how delicate, right? I would have elbowed him already, _'but you have no moral, Rose'_ my consciousness said. I am so annoying.

"Well..."

"Well, come on!"

"I might have got my eyes on a certain Potter..." Matteo shivered a little bit.

"Albus? Seriously? He's my best mate, I know you are in a phase of discovering your sexuality, but..." Malfoy said. Did he really say that? Blimey, he was deaf or dumb, or both. Both, for sure.

"What? Are you mad?" I could see Matteo's hazel eyes as wide as Lysander's.

"Mad? There's nothing wrong if you like guys, really..." Malfoy said, and Matteo's eyes widened even more. Merlin, he is so stupid!

"No, you misunderstood me, Scorpius!" Matteo exclaimed, lowering his voice again "so I accidentally, not on purpose, unintentionally, kind of, inevitably, know where is the Weasley's tent because I followed Lily Potter's red head entering it..." he said, holding his breath while waiting for his cousin's reaction.

"Well, you are a dead man then, did you forget her older brothers are James and Albus Potter and her father is Harry Potter?" Malfoy asked, smirking at his cousin. He was a terrorist! Poor Matteo. I mean, of course, James was protective, Albus as well, and uncle Harry too, but Lily still had the freedom to choose whoever she wanted to be with. Aunt Ginny always made it very clear.

"Gee, thanks, Scorp!" Matteo grinned at his cousin, who hugged him tenderly over his shoulders. Well, I had never seen him doing it besides Albus, _'not that you know him at all, right Rosie, you argue with the boy all the time'_. How do I shut up my consciousness? Oh, yeah, maybe not feeling guilty. It happens every time I feel guilty.

"Alright, if I'm not wrong, that's the tent" Matteo stopped in front a tent with a Chudley Cannons and a Holyhead Harpies flags. Of course. I feel so stupid.

"Certainly that's the one, thank you Matt" Scorpius said to his cousin.

"Scorp?" Albus' voice came out of the tent "Rosie! They are back, uncle Ron! They are back!" my cousin hugged me and then his best friend, giving Matteo a handshake. "Hello, Matt!" Albus was so nice, I had to learn with him. _'Indeed'_ , my consciousness agreed.

"ROSIE! WHERE THE BLOODY HELL HAVE YOU BEEN?" my father yelled, hugging me to death. Seriously, I am not fragile and I am a grown up _'but you don't act like if you grew up, Rose...'_. Merlin!

"Snogging Malfoy at the forest, where else she would be, uncle Ron?" Dominique's teasing voice came out, and she hugged me laughing at my disgusted face.

"WHAT?" dad shouted, pointing his wand to Malfoy.

"Blimey, uncle Ron! Low your wand!" Molly said to my father, laughing at me. I know, dad ashamed me doing those things.

"Yeah, uncle Ron, it's Dom, she's just messing with your nerves!" Roxy smirked at me, lowering my father's arm.

"Dad, seriously? It's Rose and Scorpius! They would be duelling but not snogging..." Hugo said, looking at me like if to make sure he was right. When I didn't say anything he asked "Right, Rosie?"

"Obviously, Hugo..." I rolled my eyes, entering the tent and throwing myself at the nearest couch.

"You look horrible, Rose..." Lucy said, sitting by my side.

"Yeah, yeah..." I agreed, paying attention to the voices outside while my father, Dom, Molly and Roxanne came back inside.

"Lily, I think you know my cousin..." Malfoy said.

"Matteo, yeah, we are at the same year, genious" my cousin replied, mimicking my voice at him. I couldn't hide my laugh at that. Just Lily to make me laugh while I was actually feeling horrible. "Hi, Matteo, how are your holidays so far?" Lily asked politely. She was such a lady _'and you are not'_ , my consciousness said again. Blimey for the hundredth time!

"Let's get inside, Al..." Malfoy said while entering the tent with my cousin.

"Wha-... Why, Scorpius?" Al asked his best friend.

"You are so blind, Al" Dom rolled her eyes at him. That girl is like devil sometimes, did I ever say that? _'You are worse, you know'_ , thanks consciousness.

"What do you mean, Dom?" Albus looked at her while she, Molly, Roxy and Lucy were laughing at him.

"Let's grab something at the kitchen Al, come on!" Malfoy pulled my cousin's arm.

"Well, very... interesting..." I could hear Matteo trying to talk to Lily. I noticed that my other female cousins were listening to their conversation as well. "Yours?" he gulped, poor boy.

"Well, that's interesting, Zabini likes Lily but Lily likes Lorcan and Lorcan likes...?" Dom whispered.

"Well, he likes Lysander..." Roxy pointed.

"And pudding!" Moly finished. We all laughed at that.

"Shhh, I want to hear them!" Lucy whispered, lecturing us. She's twelve, Merlin!

"Oh, fine, I've spent the whole summer with my cousins at my grandparents' house, and also stayed at home with my parents, we even traveled to Spain..." Lily was saying like if she had known Matteo for a long time, like great friends. I envy her for that, usually I'm very closed to others I don't know very well.

"Lily is so naïve at times, she's like Al..." Roxy whispered.

"Al is dumb, Lily is not..." Dom said.

"Well, see you at Hogwarts then...?" Matteo really just asked that?

"Of course, see you then!" and Lily entered our tent like nothing was happening. Even I could sense that Matteo was so much into her and I am the 'iron witch'. "What?" she asked when looked at our faces. My cousins and I just didn't know how to be discreet, must be genetics.

"Nothing, Lils, nothing..." Dom tried to conceal her laugh, failing and getting from Lily a pillow on her beautiful face. "You didn't, Lily Potter!" she yelled.

"Yes I did!" Lily said firmly, doing it again and then running away from Dom. Another war began. And I just wanted to rest, Merlin. Luckily the war was going on in the girl's bedroom so I could finally have peace.

Soon we would be back at Hogwarts, Dom, Albus and I would be at the Sixth Year, Hugo, Lily, Molly and Louis would be able to participate of the Quidditch tryouts – the three of them were very excited by the possibility of joining Gryffindor's team – and Roxy, Fred and James would finally graduate, if my dear cousins don't find a way of messing it as well.

Malfoy. He would be at sixth year too, of course. I just felt, deep inside me, and even my consciousness seemed to agree, that things between us were different already. It had been five years of constant bickering and mocking at each other. Now, we were in a bipolar living, at the same day being able to have our first proper conversation and then him getting hurt by an insult I used against him the last time when we were eleven.

Well, what can I say? Well, now I understand Matteo. My stomach was cold with anxiousness, and 'well' seemed very appropriate to my lack of words to this new sensation. I'm sure that new sensations are still to come. Well.

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 **Author's note:** Hello, dear readers. Where are you? I would love to know what are you thinking about my story so far. Next chapter they will be at Hogwarts... Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Let me know what you think!

 _Binki_

 _Ps. Since I can't reply to Guest reviews I have to do it here:_

 _Dear guest, I am really grateful for your words. I apologise for those mistakes with my spelling, I have to tell you that English is not my native language, so I try my best to improve my grammar and vocabulary but my fluency is not 100% yet. I'm trying to find a British Beta Reader to help me with my story but still haven't find one, but I posted anyway because I couldn't leave you guys without another chapter. Oh, and 'Malfoy' is Scorpius, I want to keep him and Rose on last name basis for now, but their relationship will develop and, well, you'll see. There's much more to come, I already have the whole story planned! Thank you for being my first review, it means a lot._

 _Binki, again_


	4. Home

_**Disclaimer:**_ I wish I was Jo Rowling, but, well, if I were her Harry Potter wouldn't be as brilliant as it is. I am not brilliant, you know. Glad Jo is Jo, not me. You got it. Enjoy yourselves as much as I do writing about the Wizarding World!

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 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Four – Home**

No. I'm not asleep and just thinking how enjoyable my nap is. Unfortunately. I would love to be in my particular heaven: my bed. Could be the one at my parent's house, at the Burrow or my one at Hogwarts. But no, apparently I am a sinner because Merlin has a horrible fate for me: not only I am not sleeping as I'm having a rough time seated between Albus Severus Potter and James Sirius Potter. We are at the back of my father's extended car heading to the King's Cross Station. Usually my parents take just Hugo and I at September 1st and we meet the rest of the family there. Aunt Audrey says it would be a mess if we decided to go everybody together to the Platform 9 ¾ and mum agreed saying we would be so late that we would even miss our whole year. Dad pointed out how great that could be and when Hugo and Louis made that face when they had a brilliant – stupid, actually – idea mum gave him her death glare.

"ALBUS!" James yelled to his brother but he just left me deaf because "APPARENTLY YOU FORGOT JAMES BUT I AM BETWEEN YOU AND AL!" I shouted at one os his ears while he was giggling at my reaction.

"Merlin, you are such a child, James..." Lily said in disbelief behind us, tapping the back of his head.

"You are so loud, James..." Hugo moaned, covering his own ears "You are even infecting my dear sis..." he mocked at me, of course, before returning his attention to Lily.

"James, control yourself!" Albus looked to his brother over his new book I gave to him for his birthday last week.

"You guys are so boring, I mean, what is life without some noises and excitement?" he asked mischievously giggling at us.

"Hmm peaceful?" Albus rolled his eyes, he always does it when making sarcastic remarks. James dropped his beam, he just hates when Al finds a quick and clever answer to his observations.

"Sod off, Albus..."

"Language, James..." dad said in a serious tone not much like him, laughing at our dumbfounded faces after looking at the mirror "Just mocking you, children! I got so used to having to do it when Hermione or mum are around that I just can't stop myself!"

"Merlin, uncle Ron, I almost had a heart attack, thought that dad was hidden somewhere in the car to see make sure if I was doing something stupid..." James said while messing even more his jet black hair. He always does it, like Al and uncle Harry. Apparently even their grandfather, James Potter, used to do it as well.

"When are you going to grow up?" I asked him, giving him a meaningful glance to remind him about what we had talked after aunt Ginny's uncommon reaction at the final of the Quidditch World Cup.

"I may ask you the same, Rosie..." James looked at me with a 'shut up, leave me alone' glance.

"I've stopped fighting with Malfoy if that's what you mean, James Potter!" I said to him in a threatening tone, the one I learned with my mum.

"Oh yeah..." he sarcastically agreed.

"Rosie, leave him!" Albus whispered to me, getting my attention to what he was pointing to me on his book "Look this strategy, I think you could make Slytherin have a hard time with it..." Albus always trying to avoid fighting. Such a peacemaker. No doubt he is uncle Harry's son, besides their looks that make them seem almost identical.

It was not long before we arrived at the King's Cross Station, pushing our trolleys among muggles with eyes full of curiosity while glancing at our huge trunks and hooting owls. Like James, his silver owl, Moony, was very loud as well.

"Dad, last chance you have to tell me the truth" I whispered to my father's ear, I had to get to the tip of my foot to reach him though.

He didn't look at my eyes, he always acts like this when he is really hiding something from me. Because he just can't hide anything from me or my mother, mainly when we give him the same suspicious 'know-it-all' glare.

"Ro-Rosie... Could you please leave you poor father alone? There's no tru-truth to be t-told, de-dear..." he gave me a fake beam, turning his attention to my brother almost shoving a family with his trolley. Hugo is so much like dad, not only his appearance as his personality as well.

"Seriously, dad? Do you still really try to lie to me?" I looked skeptically at him, crossing my arms and with an arched eyebrow.

"What, Rosie?" my father glared at me with innocent blue eyes, the same as mine but lighter than Hugo's.

"Mum has never missed a year of dropping us at the Hogwarts Express, uncle Harry and uncle Ginny always managed to leave their jobs for an hour to bring James, Al and Lily as well. Why suddenly the three of them have some 'problems' to solve at the Ministry of Magic, the British Auror Office and at the Daily Prophet at the same bloody time?" I asked to my father while we entered the Platform 9 ¾ after my brother and cousins – I could listen to Al and James arguing over something and Lily and Hugo just ignoring them and talking about this year's Quidditch trials.

"You are just like your mother, you know?" he stopped to look at me with nostalgic and affectionate eyes, "Although being annoying you two look very cute..." my dad pinched my left cheek, giggling at my grimace.

"Daaaaad" I protested.

"Rosie, stop overthinking and analysing facts, just live, dear. If I can tell you something is to enjoy yourself this year. Try to make some trouble, a few detentions..." dad put his arm around my shoulder, guiding me towards our gathered family.

"I could blakcmail you to mum, you know? Telling me to get in trouble..." I mocked at him, embracing his tall figure. We both laughed and I just decided to drop the conversation.

As we approached the Weasleys, I noticed aunt Audrey, but not uncle Percy, with Lucy and Molly already with their robes – as usual, and they just didn't care that the other students looked at them like if they were silly for doing it, I love my cousins for having so much attitude – uncle Bill was here with Dom and Louis but I couldn't find aunt Fleur, uncle George and aunt Angelina were not missing though as they had just arrived with Fred and Roxanne.

"Dom, where is your mother?" I asked my cousins after she gave me a tight hug.

"Aunt Gabrielle just arrived today, so she stayed at home" she answered me, embracing Roxy as well.

"You are looking horrible, Roxy..." I said before I could restrain myself. But indeed she was: dark circles under her tired brown eyes, deep expression marks on her forehead and a scowl on her beautiful face, I knew her "What did you father and Fred do this time?" I asked Roxy.

"Well, you were fast to avoid the rudeness of your phrase..." Dom smirked.

"Another horrid prototype, of course! So loud and so annoying that even seemed like James was inside my head..." Roxy glared angry at uncle George and Fred, both laughing with my father and James.

"I'm not surprised, I would kill myself if I had to live at the same house as them..." Dom whispered.

But something about Roxy caught our attention, a shining red and golden badge written 'HEAD GIRL' was on her clothes.

"YOU ARE HEAD GIRL!" Dom yelled, bringing the whole family attention to Roxy.

"I know, right! It's just so..." Roxy looked more excited now, Merlin bless her.

"WEIRD! MY DAUGHTER, MY OWN DAUGHTER, BEING LIKE PERCY!" uncle Goerge has no filter, right? Roxy's scowl got back on her face "Chill out, kiddo, I'm just kidding, I'm very proud of you!" he embraced his daughter tightly, making her beam a little.

The sound of the whistle interrupted the conversations at the Platform, creating a new sound of warming farewells and nostalgic last minute talks.

"Have a great year, dear. See you on Christmas!" my dad embraced me tightly like he always does every year, I just missed mum, but his home scent comforted me "Remember what I told you, enjoy yourself, Rosie!" he looked at me, putting an arm distance between us while he was looking at my eyes, the same as his "But not too much with boys, if you know what I mean..." he gave me a final warm beam. My dad's beam. My heart just melted, I would miss him and mum so much.

"Have a great year too, dad! I'll write to you and mum! Don't fight!" I kissed his right cheek, embracing him one last time before doing it to my aunties and uncles. Unlce George winked at me and put a small... Stone? I guess, in my hand. I smirked at him suspiciously, putting his 'gift' into the pocket of my jeans.

Finally, my cousins, my brother and I jumped on the Hogwarts Express, waving at our parents before they disappeared from our vision.

"Let's find a compartment, Rosie!" Roxy said to me, already walking with Dom down the corridor. I followed my cousins as all of us like to stay together. Luckily the compartments nowadays are extended, so all of our family could fit in it with our friends as well.

Hard task, to find an empty compartment and walk through the other students. The youngsters looked at us with a surprised look, mouth agape and piercing eyes, but the older students already got used to seeing miniatures of Harry Potter – Albus himself – Hermione Granger – well, me, of course – and Ron Weasley – my brother, dad's young version. I hate all the attention we get for being Weasleys or Potters, okay, our parents saved the Wizarding World, mum is Minister for Magic, uncle Harry has been the head of the British Auror Office for years and dad was a wonderful auror himself before retiring to work at Weasley's Wizard Wheezes with uncle George, but... Oh, what the bloody hell am I babbling? I would have the same reaction if I weren't related to them. It's just funny to my cousins and I how dumbfounded people get when they see us together, because after all we are just as any other witch or wizard. A Hogwarts student having to deal with OWLs, NEWTs, Quidditch trials, Hogsmeade weekends and a almost non-existent love life.

"FINALLY!" surprisingly it was not James who yelled this time.

"Where is Roxy saying that James is loud?" Louis seemed as lost as me, like if something wrong had just happened.

"BEING LOUD FOR THE FIRST TIME HAS A GREAT TASTE OF FREEDOM!" Roxy beamed for the first time since we met at the Platform, entering the compartment.

"Ha, loo-" James opened his big mouth to say something that would probably ruin Roxy's fragile mood.

"Shut it, James!" Fred covered his big mouth to stop him from saying anything stupid like he usually does.

Dom and I just exchanged glances and tried to hide our laughs. It's gonna be a long year. I threw myself comfortably at the couch. A long waiting pays off.

"Move, Rose! Damn it, you are sou lazy!" Dom pushed me to have a seat by my side. She just loves me, doesn't she?

"Love you too, Dominique..." I closed my eyes to avoid her pissed glance when someone calls her entire name.

I woke up in chaos. Dom was not by my side anymore, she was playing Exploding Snap with Fred, Lily, Hugo and Molly. Roxy was in a corner with her boyfriend Liam Wood, tall, muscled, brown eyes and dirty blonde locks, he was fit indeed. James was sleeping on the couch with his best friend Harper Burlow laying by his side, like they usually do, before anyone asks if they are a couple. No. But it would be cool I think, they already act like a couple though, they are so close that Harper is the only one that can control him in Hogwarts, but James says she is 'just like one of the boys', like if he also falls asleep with Jack Thomas laying over his torso. Harper is short, has a naturally tanned skin, she was far from pale as Lily; she also has a long wavy brown hair that cascades over her back, but she rather to put her hair on a messy ponytail or under her purple Pride of Portree cap. Curiously Harper has hazel eyes, I never know which colour they really are, but James says firmly that there are hues of amber, green and blue.

Anyway, Lucy was nowhere to be seen, probably with her second year friends. I know, she is twelve but doesn't seem to be! She is even more mature than James and I together! Louis was having an intense conversation with Lysander and Frank Longbottom about magic creatures that had been discovered recently by Rolf Scamander, Lysander and Lorcan's father, the Chief Consulting Magizoologist to the Daily Prophet. Albus...

Oh, Albus was showing his book about Quidditch to Malfoy. Malfoy, well, we haven't speak to each other since that incident with my venomous big mouth. My pride of the size and depth of the Black Lake didn't allow me to apologise to him at Al's birthday last week where we just exchanged an unreadable glance. I was feeling rather confused if I really should apologise or if he was being too dramatic. I decided not to think about it anymore since then. Perhaps it would be better if we don't talk anymore, I could finally grow up peacefully and without getting tired of our constant arguing. I comforted myself with the thought that I could direct my strength to other meaningful subjects.

I froze. Why it always had to happen? A shiver went down my spine. Merlin! Suddenly from my inner babbling my blue eyes became electric as they locked with Malfoy's storming piercing silver eyes. Blimey! I felt my cheeks flush when I noticed I just didn't know how to look away from him. It was... It was like his eyes were dragging me like an undertow. He had undertow eyes when his were locked with mine. And when it happens I could see without any barriers his feelings, it's like if his walls had been destroyed after an undertow and I had the free passage to the deep of him.

"Rosie?" a soft voice made me turn away from that paralyzing moment.

"ELLA!" I embraced my best friend tightly, we hadn't seen each other during holidays because she had to travel the world with her parents. Such a horrible best friend, she didn't even take me with her.

"Hello, as delicate as ever!" Ella beamed at me. She was stunning, my best friend. I'm not biased, she really is. Ella Grace Richards: dirty blonde locks just below her chin, she was tanned, her hair sunkissed and bright, almost golden; her green eyes were warm like her soft voice, she sings very well, indeed; she was taller than me, naturally thin due to her vegan habits. She is a hippy at heart, like her muggle parents, they got really stunned when discovered their daughter was a witch, even threw a party to celebrate it. "I was under the impression that you and Malfoy were almost killing each other, and we're not even in Hogwarts yet!" she laughed beautifully. She seems like a fairy to me at times, I swear.

"No, I'm a new woman, my dear. Mature and grown up, I don't argue anymore..." I said beaming with pride.

"Okay, and I've been eating pork during holidays..." Ella looked skeptically at me.

"Ella, you are hurting my feelings, I'm serious, ma'am!" I arched my right eyebrow at her, challenging my best friend to contradict me. She was wise enough to not dare do it. Aunt Ginny taught me her Bat-Bogey Hex and said I'm pretty good on this spell, so James and Fred don't piss me off that much anymore since then.

"I'll give you a chance this year, Rosie, but tell me about your holidays! You didn't owl me the whole summer!" Ella pouted making me laugh at her silliness.

"Well, perhaps you were not able to find because you and your parents have to travel around the whole bloody world!" I have to say I'm very jealous of my best friend and her adventures around the world.

"Not my fault! Mum and dad plan during the whole bloody year our holidays, I can't just say 'no, I'm not going' nor I want to, actually..."

"Yeah, I wouldn't too!" my eyes got back to Al and Malfoy, they were now laughing over something stupid that James was saying and I could see Harper frowning at his words. Probably he said something gross because he has no manners.

"Rosie, I know you, what happened? Why are you looking so fiercely at Scorpius and Al?" she brought my attention back to her, I knew that look, her famous 'don't lie to me, I know you too well, we've been best friends for five years and you don't fool me like the others'.

"Hm..." I gulped, I hadn't talked about what happened between Malfoy and I to anyone. I already knew their reactions: Al would scold me for being rude and even make me feel guilty and take Malfoy's side ( _'not that someone could take your side under the circumstances...'_ oh no, my bloody consciousness! She had left alone after a few days), my cousin is just too predictable. Dom would at first laugh and then tell me to chill out, Molly would look at me disapprovingly and Lucy would say that for a clever person I have dumb ways to attack my enemies. It even made me laugh while I'm practicing self-deprecation over my own misery.

"Spit it out, Rose Weasley!" Ella whispered threatening.

"You are so aggressive, Ella, perhaps some Wrackspurt are fuzzing your brain..." just as I said that I notice I had caught Lysander's attention.

"Ella!" he called her, his eyes wide as usual "The Wrackspurt are messing with you?"

"No, dear, I'm alright, Rosie that is permanently damaged of Wrackspurt and her own idiotic habits!" Ella beamed sweetly at him and just as he turned back to his conversation with Frank and Louis she looked rather pissed off to me.

"Ella, I'll talk to you when we are at the Castle, here I just can't say anything without someone sneaking into our conversation!" I was almost begging her, and I am not the kind of person that begs.

"Fine, you are just impossible, Rosie!" Ella was worse than me when she is curious, it almost oxidizes her internally.

"Let's play chess? I need someone at my level because MY FAIMLY IS JUST CRAP PLAYING IT!" I said the last part loud to piss all of my cousins at the same time. It's a tradition in our family.

"Oh no, the Third Wizarding War, you had to start it, right?" Roxy giggled as all my cousins's head turned to me. They seemed fazed by what I had just said, but then they couldn't restrain themselves and just laughed at me. Even Ella, Harper, Frank and Lysander joined them. The only person that kept a serious facade was Malfoy. It just pissed me off so much. His presence, even when we are avoiding each other, keeps making me mad at him.

"Come on, Ella, I need to canalize my rage and beat your king's bloody ass!" I averted my eyes from Malfoy and tried to recompose myself while Ella just giggled at me.

"I missed you to death, you know" she said. Having my dear best friend by my side may help me to deal with this year that already seems to be so different from the previous ones.

* * *

It was a longer journey than usual, the Express had to stop for about an hour when we already had entered Scotland, so it was like being so near and so far at the same time from home: sheer torture. Instead of sleeping I enjoyed my time hearing to Ella's long trip around the world and seeing some muggle photos, I have to say that there is some poetry about them being motionless. I also had a conversation with Lily and Alice Longbottom about the gossips that already has been spread in the Express. I played Exploding Snap with my brother, Albus, James and Harper and I even seated with Albus and Malfoy because my cousin found another strategy for Quidditch. I tried to focus on his words, but the tension between Malfoy and I was so heavy and kept dragging em so much towards his eyes that I had to restrain myself from doing what my body wanted me to do. I was feeling like if I had to be exorcised. Finally I had a time to spend with Dom, Roxy and Ella and just talk about anything. Actually, boys, trips and Quidditch, their favourites subjects.

Right now we are getting off the Hogwarts Express and I'm starving for dinner and my comfortable bed at the Gryffindor's Tower. I waved happily at Hagrid who was at the other side of the Platform to take the First Years to the boats. No Weasley or Potter this year, for his strangement, Lucy was the last one of us.

As usual there was nothing taking the carriage as we approached the Hogwarts Castle. Oh, home! So good to be back! I could even feel my heart race at the sight, the giant construction and its small lights from the hundred windows, the black lake reflecting that marvellous landscape and the moon beautifully spotted at the clear dark sky. It was definitely home!

"Ladies, what about some ice cream and chocolate in your dormitory tonight?" Roxy asked Dom, Ella and I, since she is on Seventh Year and doesn't share a dormitory with us.

"Yeah, alright, but we could take more food as well, right?" I asked my cousin.

"Rose... Do you ever stop thinking about eating?" Roxy looked at me but it seemed like she was asking herself about my habits.

"Does James ever stop being loud? Or Louis stop being charming? Or Lucy stop being prompt and all clever? And Dom stop being flirty and careless? Or you stop being brilliant and mature? Or Albus stop being kind and annoying at the same time?" I didn't even wait for her answer "No, so yes, I never stop eating or thinking about it, it's just who I am, dear Roxy!"

"You are so annoying, Lucy got that 'prompt and all clever' personality from you, you know. She was kind and shy before you infected her with your temper and lack of manners!" Roxy mocked at me, making me instantly stick my tongue out to her.

"We thought you said you were a grown up now, Rose..." Dom and Ella lectured me.

"Leave me, hippy and aunt Fleur!" I giggled at their expressions when I called them like this.

* * *

Merlin's beard. Finally! I just collapsed on the bench of the Great Hall as we arrived there. I saw as my family for the first time parted ways, Lucy, Lysander and Frank went to the Ravenclaw table, Molly took a seat with her Hufflepuff friends, and Albus and Malfoy walked to the Slytherin table. The rest of my family, Ella, Harper, Lorcan, Alice, Liam and I we seated together. Unfortunately, we had to wait until the Sorting Hat decided which house each one of the First Years would get sorted into to start our marvellous meal. My stomach was protesting over apparently being neglected. I would never do it on purpose, for Merlin's beard! My loud stomach remembered something though.

"Dom..." my cousin that was by my side turned to me.

"Wha?" she was so bored that wasn't even capable of ending her sentence.

"Why is your Aunt Gabrielle here?" I asked her curiously.

"Dunno... Mum said something about my cousin Genevieve but she said in such a fast french that neither Victoire nor I managed to understand, and you know we are fluent as well..." Dom explained, yawning for the tenth time that night.

Just as the Sorting Hat finished his tune for this year, which he spends the whole previous year planning, we looked expectantly at our table.

"FINALLY! I'M BLOODY STARVING!" James, again. So loud, so so loud. The students from Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and Slytherin laughed at him, but the Ravenclaws and Headmistress McGonagall didn't looked please at his lack of manners. Sincerely, they still didn't get used to James Potter? Uncle Neville, actually, at Hogwarts he is Professor Neville of Herbology and head of the Gyrffindor House, tried to hide his laugh, winking at us.

"Your mouth if huge, James, you yelled for the bloody Hall to hear you and the food is gone!" Dom murmured frustrated.

"Oh, shut-" James was opening his big mouth again to retort to Dom when the Headmistress McGonagall interrupted him clearing her throat.

"Welcome, Hogwarts students! Thank you Sorting Hat for this... educative and cheerful tune! I have to make a few announcements before we have a marvellous dinner: firstly, I would like to present you your interim Defense Against the Dark Arts professor since Professor Waterhouse is on maternity leave, Edward Remus "Teddy" Lupin!"

NO WAY! TEDDY! I treat him like one of my cousins because not only he is uncle Harry's godson as he has always been part of the family just like his late parents and he is Victoire's boyfriend since they left Hogwarts. I couldn't believe he had kept this secret from us during the whole summer! Perhaps it had something with my mum and my godparents today's disappearance?

"WHAT?" Hugo turned to all of us like searching for an answer, his eyes were wide with surprise but his smile was broad, probably all my cousins and I were looking like this. The Great Hall was still applauding him with such an excitement - James and Albus were leading the cheering students - probably because everybody knew about his parents bravery, the fact they were members of the Order of the Phoenix and that they died while fighting during the Second Wizarding War while Teddy still was just a baby. Besides the fact that he is very beautiful as well, his hair was pink bubble gum, probably he found very funny this receptiveness, because his hair was ginger like mine when he entered the Great Hall. Teddy winked at us before taking a seat next to Hagrid, waving at the students as well.

"Can't believe Vic didn't tell me anything! How weird is that?" Dom asked Roxy, Ella and I.

"The fact that she managed to hide something from you since the two of you are telepathic?" I was a bit confused about what my dear cousin was talking about actually.

"Or that you brother-in-law will be your DADA professor and will be able to report you to your parents at any family meal?" Ella asked mischievously.

"Yeah, both..." Dom seemed a bit unsure whether she was feeling happy for having Teddy with us, angry at Vic for not telling her or a upset with the fact that Teddy could keep an eye on her to her parents.

"Also, Mr. Filch asked me to tell you..." McGonagall had her eyes fixed on James and Fred now, the troublemakers.

"How old is Mr. Filch?" Roxy whispered.

"Dunno..." Ella was wondering.

"Mum and dad told me that when they were Hogwarts students he was already an old man..." I murmured in a low tone.

"And now, it's with great pleasure that I announce to all of you that Hogwarts has been chosen, after almost thirty years, to host a legendary event, an event that last time had a Hogwarts champion: Harry Potter!" the Great Hall got quiet.

"Dad? Dad won an event at Hogwarts?" Lily whispered to James, who looked as lost as her. Both of them glanced at Albus who didn't seem surprised. Of course, he was the closest to uncle Harry.

"The eternal glory and the cup are not the only rewards that await for the winner of the Triwizard Tournament" what the bloody hell was that? That's why mum, uncle Harry and aunt Ginny disappeared today? I noticed James and Fred exchanging excited glances at the tournament's name mention "it's an event that foremost is an exercise of international magic cooperation..."

"What does it mean, Rosie?" Fred asked me from the other side of the Gryffindor table.

"Well... McGonagall means that the Triwizard Tournament is foremost to... make friends..." I whispered to my cousins, watching their surprised faces.

"What I mean is that Hogwarts will not be only your home this year, but also to foreign visitors..." the Headmistress was looking at us under her glasses.

"Dom, Louis, where did you say that your cousin Genevieve studies?" Roxy asked the siblings.

"It's called..."

"Before we welcome them though, I have to make clear what happened last time... Lord Voldemort had a plan to retake his human form again after he vanished during the First Wizarding War, his faithful death eaters were more than eager to help their master, and one of them infiltrated at Hogwarts to manipulate the Tournament and put Harry Potter illegally in the tournament. So actually we had fours champions, being two from Hogwarts. I have to say that thirty years ago and still now the Tournament is only allowed to those that are at least seventeen years of age" just as she said the main rule the Great Hall became loud with uncountable claims from students, like Dom and Ella "Silence! I'm not finished yet! The Ministry of Magic decided to keep this rule because although there is no Dark Lord anymore the Tournament is still dangerous, it requires from you, at such a young age, to perform high standards spells, test your knowledge and your most human side: fear and fragility"

I was getting a bit scared I had to say, I looked at Albus and he seemed unfazed, like if he already knew all about it. I didn't check on that-who-shall-not-be-named though. What if he thinks I just looked at him after McGonagall said 'death eater'? Why do I care, actually? _'Because you feel guilty and you have a warm heart'_ , oh shut up you annoying consciousness.

"You have to know that in the middle of Voldermort's plan to capture Harry Potter, another Hogwarts student, the original Hogwarts champion, Cedric Diggory, was on his way and Voldemort murdered him coldly..." Ella looked scared at me, I had forgotten she didn't know much about the Wizarding World's History "I'm not telling you all of this to discourage the Seventh Year students that aims to become a Hogwarts champion, but just be careful. Once you put your name there's no coming back..."

"What a cheerful way to finish something that seemed so exciting at the beginning..." Dom moaned "Typical McGonagall!"

"Don't be unfair, Dom! She lived all of this, it must have been traumatizing to have a student murdered!" Roxy lectured our cousin who still seem not to care.

"Typical Dominique!" I whispered to Roxy, who just rolled her eyes.

Suddenly officials from the Ministry of Magic entered the Great Hall and placed a covered object in front of McGonagall, who just nodded at them as they pulled the cover. A golden goblet appeared with blue flames on its top, swinging like a ballet dance.

"The Goblet of Fire, you'll have one week to put your name written on a piece of parchment in the Goblet flames. Remember, once you do it, there's no coming back... Now, let's welcome the gentleman from the north of the Durmstrang Institute and their Headmaster Kristoffer Hansen, and the ladies from France of the Beauxbatons Academy of Magic and their Headmistress Olympe Maxime!"

All Hogwarts students turned around to see the foreigners entering the Great Hall. Both schools arrived together but didn't seem to know each other as well. We applauded them wildly, excited by the news.

"Hey, it's my cousin Genevieve!" Louis exclaimed, waving at a gorgeous girl with platinum blonde hair and blue eyes, she looks so much like her mother, Gabrielle.

"Really, whe- OH MY MERLIN! LOOK AT THIS! IT'S AMELIE MARCHAND! FRANCE'S SEEKER!" Fred was yelling at James who covered his ears. Tasting his own poison, I see.

"Yeah Fred, now chill out, she's pretty awesome and gorgeous and everything but don't faint!" James patted Fred's back reassuringly.

"No way! STAN!" Dom shouted to a tall and older guy, his beard covering his face, large eyebrows and a serious expression os his face. He beamed at Dom when he found who was calling his name. Does she know everyone, Merlin?

"Who is Stan, Dominique?" James asked her suspiciously.

"He is the son of mum's old friend, Viktor Krum, I haven't seen him for ages, we just send letters to each other twice a year!" Dom was so excited seeing her cousin and her friend, I even felt infected by her joyful mood.

Soon Madame Maxime and Kristoffer Hansen joined Headmistress McGonagall at the staff table to enjoy the dinner. FINALLY! I WAS STARVING! I almost shouted for the whole Great Hall but I don't like to call attention like James does. He is an attention seeker.

"Dom! Très magnifique to spen' the 'hole yearr with you and 'urr family!" Genevieve embraced Dom and Louis and then each one of our brood. When she kissed Hugo on his cheek he turned so bright that even uncle Neville thought there was something wrong with him. He has problems indeed.

Genevieve just don't stop talking, during the whole dinner she would babble about France, the Tournament, and her ex-boyfriend. And she tried to speak in English for all of us to understand, how sweet of her, but then she has so many things to say that she speaks a very fast french that only Dom and Louis understand.

"WHAT? Our maman?" Louis asked, his food dropping on his plate untouched.

"Oui, aunt Fleurr is a Tri'izard champion fourr Beauxbatons!" Genevieve's eyes were wide, like she couldn't believe aunt Fleur hadn't told her own children about such an achievement.

"Maman is brave, okay, but I can't believe she had so much courage to get into this Tournament..." Louis murmured while putting a whole pork into his mouth.

"That pig will cry the whole night inside your stomach, Louis..." Ella said threatening to him while eating her vegetables.

"You should eat, Ella, is marvellous, so delicious!" I said, biting my own pork. Ella just frowned at my lack of manners.

"Right guys, see you at the Gryffindor Common Room, I need to take the First Years up there before all of you scare them by running like the mad children you are, I'll stop by the kitchen to get our food, okay?" Roxy stood up, her red and golden Head Girl badge shining on her robes, she kissed Liam and left, guiding the students out the Great Hall.

"She's just so..." Fred had a frown on his face.

"Perfect..." Liam completed and Fred scowled even more.

"I don't think that's what Fred meant, Liam..." Hugo murmured, looking between the boys.

"Stop babbling, I need my bed, let's go!" I took the lead of our brood to the Gryffindor Tower, trying to survive among so many loud and aggressive Hogwarts's students that probably have the same idea as mine.

I felt really stranger though, no familiar loud screams, nobody around me pinching each other, no one pissing me off. When I looked around me, before climbing the stairs, I noticed that my family was not around me anymore. Then it happened again. My eyes locked with the only person that they have wanted for hours now, since that moment at the Hogwarts Express. He was staring at me, seeming as confused as I am since Al was not by his side. Where the bloody hell everybody is?

Al appeared from nowhere, pulling Malfoy by his right arm, taking him to the other side from everyone else was heading.

"ROSIE!" Al yelled at me, breaking whatever was happening between Malfoy and I "COME HERE!"

Well, I have no other clue where my family is, so I decided to follow Albus and Malfoy. It just didn't seem exactly what I wanted for tonight...

Just as I managed to get out of the crowd of students, I was met by my family and our friends. All of them with excited expressions on their faces.

"For Merlin's beard, don't tell me..." I was groaning already.

"YEAH! A 'welcome foreigners' party!" Dom grabbed me so tightly that I almost fainted at her feet.

"I don't want to go to a party... And for Merlin's beard, they have just arrived and Hogwarts' students already managed to throw a party?" I was impressed actually, when is about Quidditch or parties they work efficiently.

"Actually it was James and Fred's brilliant idea!" Dom was almost screaming at my ears.

"Yeah, brilliant..." my mood is not exactly happy right now actually.

"So where, James?" Jack Thomas, one of James friends' and roommate.

"The Room of Requirement, of course!" James smirked mischievously "Fred and you go to the Room, Harper and I are going to Hogsmeade to bring some butterbeer and firewhisky and we'll meet you there in twenty minutes, Hugo, Louis and Dom, come with me to help, right?" he looked to me, no way, don't put me in illegal events, James Potter "Rosie and Molly, please, could you make something so the Room looks appropriate?" he pouted. He was pouting. I'm gonna kick his face.

"No" Molly answered, taking Lucy away with her.

"I want to join the party!" Lucy protested, making us laugh.

"Don't be such a prude, Molls!" Fred called her "At least let Lucy live if you don't want to!" he tried, but Molly didn't look back.

"You know, James, 'look appropriate' is very relative, to me it would be nice if the Room of Requirement turned into a library..." I was interrupted.

"Oh, sod off, Weasley, Albus and I can sort it out..." Malfoy didn't look at me but his tone showed how irritated he was. How dare he? I was just opening my mouth to retort to him when I was interrupted again. Is this a new sport? Keep my mouth shutted?

"No, Rosie will do it for me because she is a lovely cousin and I'll leave her alone for a week..." he looked to me expectantly, he knew how to play.

"Done" I agreed, I would have peace for a whole week and even though parties are not my thing I could handle this one, that's what grown ups do, right?

"... And you, Ella and my dear brother go tell the students to come to the party, but only fifth, sixth and seventh years!" Malfoy and Al agreed, taking their way to the dungeons while Ella went to the Gryffindor Tower.

"Liam and... Dom and Genevieve, please, call the foreigners, talk to your friend Stan-never-seen-before, right?" he asked, Dom just arched her eyebrows at him and left with Genevieve and Liam in tow "And then comeback here to help us, Dominique!"

"What can I do, James?" Lily asked, Alice by her side more than willing to help as well.

"Go to bed, now! Please!" he demanded, trying to sound sweet. He's always like this with Lily, protective and affectionate, it's very nice to see this side of James, but he still didn't notice that Lily is not a child anymore.

"James, don't make me laugh, Alice and I are going to the party, I will help Rosie and meet you there, right" she didn't ask her brother, she notified him. That's why I love Lily Luna Potter.

James was astonished at first but then Harper just pushed him away "Come one, James, stop being a prat, we need to get the beer, where is the map?" when they were far enough Lily giggled happily.

"You are devilish, Lils! He almost fainted! But you are right, you can take care of your life, come on now!" I intertwined my arms with her and Alice as we followed Fred and Jack to the Room of Requirement.

It's gonna be a long, long night, I know it will. And I still have to deal with Malfoy being so rude and annoying that moment before. And I also have to deal with my goal of being mature. Oh, and there is Roxy, what will be her reaction over our party if she is the Head Girl now? Tonight smells 'trouble' and I just can't stop asking myself why for Merlin's beard should James Potter and Fred Weasley be such trouble and partymakers. I noticed that next year wouldn't be the same without them though. I'm so bipolar at times. I shrugged and allowed my cousin and her best friend to take me towards the sinner's cave.

* * *

 **Author's note:** Your feedback is my blood... Let me know what you guys think about the plot, the characters and my ideas so far!

 _Binki_


	5. About butterbeers and firewhiskeys

_**Disclaimer:**_ I should just say that Harry's Wizarding World is not mine but Jo Rowling's property but WELL HAVE YOU WATCHED FANTASTIC BEASTS? LET'S SHARE OUR AMAZEMENT AND DEVOTION, PLEASE!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Five – About butterbeers and firewhiskeys**

I had to say that I did a really great bloody job with the Room of Requirement's decoration. Lily and Alice tried to imagine a cool place to party but it was not enough, the room indeed had a balcony for the bar and a great space for people to dance and a few corners to other... more private activities, but it was just that, plain and not cool at all. I had to improve my decoration skills. Even Malfoy had an amazed glance when he entered the place, not that I was paying attention to him, I just cannot control the fact that we always are in some really awful way synchronized to each other's presence.

"Rosie, I just loved that nature vibe you put in..." Ella already had a few drinks I am sure, her body was completely relaxed while she was dancing with the song's rhythm and strong beat.

"Actually the small lights hanging from the ceiling have nothing with nature..." I was saying when she had to interrupt me, Ella always acts like this when she is under alcohol effect.

"Oh, really? Don't disappoint me, Rosie... What about the flowers decorating all the place?" she had those wide eyes, she could pass like Lysander and Lorcan's twin.

"Sorry, Ella, but there are no flowers..." what the hell was she talking about?

"Hmmm" she was humming now another song that did not look like the one that was playing very loud at the Room of Requirement.

"Ella..." but she had already gone, lost among other intoxicated students dancing like there was no tomorrow.

I approached the bar, getting a few butterbeers as I started to feel the effects from the alcohol running through my veins. My blood was pumping just like the beat from the song playing at the dance floor. The lights were changing colours rhythmically, blue, green, now red, purple, orange, grey, yellow, brown, lilac, white. I noticed how the students were having fun dancing senseless, I need to join them. But I was in such an affected state that didn't even notice my dear cousin approaching me.

"Hey Rosie" Fred appeared by my side looking nervous.

"What?" I asked while trying to find Dom and Lily but failing due to my not so gifted height.

"I need your help..." it brought my attention to him "... with Amelie Marchand..."

I just arched my eyebrow at him, seriously? Love tips from Rose Granger-Weasley? Are people going nuts?

"Why don't you ask Dom, she is much more experienced and... skilled..." I guess I shouldn't have mentioned that part, I just knew her adventures with boys and our male cousin's zero interest on them.

"Ugh, you give too much information, you know?" I just glanced annoyed at him, I already knew that "Are you gonna make me beg you?" he looked pissed now.

"Well, you are not exactly adorable and you almost murdered Dom with that prototype, you ate all the food on my plate while I was locked in the toilet because you and James had to make fun over some of your relatives and you turned my hair into flames while I was having an argument with Malfoy last year, so yes I'll make you beg!"

"You are devilish..." I just gave him my 'seriously' look "Ok, sorry, sorry for all of that and sorry for what James and I are still going to do with you for the next decades of our life together as family, but I really need your help and not Dominique's because she will make me mess up everything as revenge for what I have done with her..."

"And what makes you think I wouldn't do it as well since I am one of your victims, Fred?" I tried to look mischievous but I am sure that I failed.

"Because you are adorable and have a kindest heart than Dom, now please, time is love, so help me dear cousin..."

"Just like James you will leave me alone for one month, deal?"

"Deal!" oh, easier than I expected, he must be desperate.

"Alright, just act like yourself, Fred"

"What? Seriously?"

"What did you expect?"

"Perhaps something you girls like to hear from a boy that I can use with her and make it work...?"

"Sorry, buddy, but really, act like yourself, you are a great guy, Fred. Everybody has a great time around you, if you try too much to act like a certain way you are not probably it won't come out naturally and then you will mess it up..."

"It makes sense, have you ever messed it up with someone... Wait, I don't know if I want to know..."

"Oh, seriously? Grow up, Fred Weasley, all your cousins have already kissed and even had..."

"STOP IT! Okay, I need to concentrate on Amelie, don't disturb me..." he pleaded with puppy eyes. They were a beautiful shade of brown, very bright, almost hazel.

"Just get near her, offer a drink maybe, or food, I would rather food, you know..."

"Focus, Rosie..."

"Right, I'm really hungry, well, and just talk about..."

"Quidditch?"

"Fred, she plays Quidditch, it's her profession, everybody probably tries that card..."

"Rosie, you need to tell me what to do!"

"I've never seen you that nervous to talk to a girl before, you have dated others, Freddie, you already know the formula..."

"Yeah, but she is my idol... and I always had a platonic thing for her, but now, she is reachable, do you know how much it messes with my head?"

"No, I'm not problematic..."

"Ha, 'cause you are the Iron Witch..."  
"Really? You too?"

"Rosie, as long as you are happy you can be whatever you want..."

"Even support the Falmouth Falcons?"

"Don't you dare..."

"Alright, go Freddie, before another bloke has the same not original idea!" I pushed him towards the dance floor where Amelie was having a great time with... Oh! Genevieve and Dom, oh no, Dom! I hope she helps Fred and not gives him a hard time.

"Are you playing cupid again?" Albus neared me, I didn't look at him though, I had my eyes on Fred approaching very slowly Amelie.

"You know I don't do that, Al!" I leaned into him, dropping my head over his right shoulder, he tenderly kissed my head. I love Albus, my best mate and best cousin.

"Ten galleons he will fail with Marchand!" Albus said, surprising me.

"Al, I am not gonna bet over..." just as I was saying I heard his voice.

"Deal! But I think he can get her!" Malfoy said with his arrogant tone.

I just rolled my eyes, I still had to pay back his earlier rudeness. ' _But you said you were over it, that you would act like a mature young lady and..."_

"SOD OFF" oh Merlin, I think I yelled with my consciousness.

"I am not talking to you, Weasley!" Malfoy appeared by my side, getting a butterbeer with Louis who was now managing the bar.

"I am not talking to you as well, Malfoy!" how frustrating. _'See what you have done?'_ I asked my own consciousness now. I am such a weirdo.

"Are you mad?" he gave me that 'you are gross' look. I hate him, Merlin!

"Of course I am, you are around me pissing me off"

"You..."

"ENOUGH!" Al yelled at me and his best mate "Sometimes Lily is right, you deserve each other, I deserve a nice party with nice ladies!" Al got a firewhiskey and left Malfoy and I. How he could do it to me?

"Look what you've done!" I also got a firewhiskey with Louis and drank it really fast, if I had to deal with Malfoy tonight I need more alcohol. Apparently he thinks the same because he got two firewhiskeys as well. Aren't we predictable?

"Just shut up, we shouldn't even be back to this..."

"Why? Just because you can't handle the fact that I am right or the fact that you failed at ignoring me after not taking a criticism?"

"A criticism? Weasley, you are mental! It was low and disgusting even for you, and you manage the disgusting part very well by simply being you!"

Oh boy, you shouldn't say these things. Suddenly, and before I could think about it, I got his second firewhiskey and turned all over his head. I shouldn't have done that. But Merlin, I didn't knew he had those abs and sculpted body... What a shame it had to be Malfoy's.

The last time I had seen a boy shirtless was last year when a boy from Ravenclaw tried to go beyond the line with me, if you know what I mean. It just didn't happen but I had to enjoy, right? I had to say that although it was Malfoy my alcoholic state didn't take my eyes off his chest since he was using a white shirt. Bloody white shirt.

"Like what you see?" he said, his voice different as well. How many beers he had? I had around four already, plus the firewhiskey. Why, Rose? Why?

"Yes." I covered my mouth as fast as I could but it had already slipped off. Damn, I had to embarrass myself, right?

He looked rather surprised, like if he was actually expecting me to yell how he was mental and arrogant and had a big ego. Probably if I was in my usual state I would have said it indeed, although I would be lying to myself. I still am a hormonal teenager, don't you dare judge me.

"Well, if I am almost naked you need to be as well!" and he got two butterbeers and threw them over my head. No, he didn't! Merlin!

"I hate you!" but I laughed. Oh, I had to betray myself and lose my composure after I had just lost my dignity? Such a Rose Weasley way of life. I am the master of self-depreciation. I deserve it.

"You look better, indeed!" and he laughed, not looking embarrassed to say I was not ugly at all. I know. He was laughing, I finally noticed. And it didn't annoy me. His laugh was better than his pitchy voice babbling about anything and complaining about me.

I laughed even harder, getting another firewhiskey to throw at him but James had to be such prude.

"Oi! It costs money, children!" such a hypocrite.

"You are boring" I pouted.

"Perhaps you need to cool your head, James!" and just as Malfoy said that he threw a butterbeer over James.

"James, stop acting like a Prefect!" Harper didn't let him punch Malfoy or reach me "He is just all bitter because Violet MacGrath turned him down and you know how big James' ego is!" Harper's voice was bitter though.

"HARPER! SHUT UP!" James yelled at his best friend like I had never seen before, she was standing there, looking hurt. Before we could even react she slapped him straight on his right cheek and left the party, disappearing among the students that had stopped dancing and had watched their not very friendly exchange.

"Jamie is maddie..." I said with a baby voice, I am so stupid when drinking, that's why I should never do it.

Malfoy put his hand to try to cover my mouth, laughing at James' annoyed face, butterbeer dripping from his chin.

"Your mouth is too big, Weasley" he said in a funny tone.

James just left us there, I don't know if he went looking for Harper or to kill himself after being so rude.

"Did you see Harper's face?" Roxy approached us with Liam by her side, like always.

"Yep." I said, looking again at the lights hanging from the ceiling. I am so fantastic for creating them.

"Rose! Earth!" Roxy called me back. Damn, I was having such a great time with me, myself and I and Malfoy.

"That's the feeling when you call me a Death Eater, Weasel!" Malfoy said laughing.

"What? That it's a trip towards the lights worth for?" I asked quite confused.

"Kind of..." he now was looking at them as well, paralyzed.

"Are you both drunk?" Liam asked surprised.

We just laughed, exchanging for the first time not a 'I want to kill you' look.

"Weird..." Liam was shaking his head.

"Roxy, I thought you would end the party!" I really noticed she was there now.

"I'm trying to ignore the fact that I should really do it since I am a Head Girl..." she then looked between Malfoy and I "Why are you soaked?"

"His fault!" I said at the same time he said "Her fault!"

Roxy just rolled her eyes "Yeah, right, I'll make you remember that tomorrow, Rosie!" she laughed at me before taking Liam's hand and leaving us again.

"ROSIE, SCORPIUS, JOIN US!" Dom yelled from the other side of the Room, where the music was pumping and the students were dancing crazily, the lights I had put at the ceiling were changing colours with the beat, making the atmosphere even more intoxicating. I just had to talk about them because they are so marvellous.

Also, I just couldn't avoid the feeling, the need to let go of myself and just enjoy, like so many people told me to do this year. I didn't even notice that I had gotten a grip of Malfoy's hand when we got where Dom, Genevieve, Stan and some of his friends, Albus and Ella, even Lysander, Lorcan, Lily, Hugo and Louis, Alice and Jack and Matteo and other fellow Hogwarts students were going insane. I liked that. James and Fred always throw such amazing parties, sad I hadn't noticed before how cool they really are.

Suddenly, the song's beat came right into my soul and I just couldn't stop dancing as well, I don't know if I was jumping or turning around or simply moving, I only knew that I couldn't stop. I felt a really warm hand at my waist, moving with me according to the beat, his breath on the back of my neck, his body attached to mine. His butterbeer strong smell. Malfoy.

My hormones were high, I was just at that time of the month that I just wanted to have a really good snog to deal with that desperate need for action. Alcohol made me more free and careless, that's for sure.

I noticed my eyes were close when I opened them to have a look over my family and friends. Albus, Ella and Lysander were making kind of a group tribal dance, very awkward but very normal to awkward people like them. Lorcan and Lily were dancing so close that I could read on their foreheads 'snog me senseless', Alice was having a great time with Jack, Louis and Hugo, both jumping like the big heads they are, Matteo had his eyes over Lily, looking a bit sad to witness her with another guy, but Alice just find that the perfect moment to drag him to her group of mad dancers. Genevieve and Dom were dancing with four Durmstrang boys, while Roxy and Liam were snogging like if there was no tomorrow. I envy my cousin for that. It has been so long since I had a breathtaking snog. Alcohol make me needy. Merlin. I am in danger with myself.

I got tense when I really realized that Malfoy and I were dancing like a couple, the sexual tension reaching its climax as I felt his hand going down my side and I didn't find strength nor will to stop him for that.

Merlin, what is wrong with me? It's Malfoy, for Merlin's beard! My enemy, the one I only am allowed to argue with, the guy that makes me mad all the time, the one and only that I insulted calling him or his father - I don't bloody remember – a Death Eater. I am pathetic. That's why I did it.

I turned around, facing his strong jaw, going down through his sculpted body from Quidditch training, the knuckles of his hand at the low of my back and the other on my side, then his piercing grey eyes. Electrics. Looking at me. Holding my gaze. Fearless. That's why he didn't push me and even seemed to want it as well.

His breath and my breath got mixed as we approached each other magnetically. I wasn't thinking, not rationally, and apparently neither was him, because his grip got tighter on my waist, the other got up to hold my ginger curls. I had never felt that sensation – sexual tension. So high and so strong that even made me approach his face with mine even more, even faster. We were only inches apart.

I closed my eyes, dragged by the sensation running through my veins. The unknown, the forbidden, the unreachable, all of it, seemed so right and so necessary to me right now, that I grabbed the back of his head, brushing my fingers over his soft platinum hair, I didn't even mind the butterbeer that was still over him.

And then.

"BLACK LAKE!" Louis' voice came into my ears, scaring me and making me open my eyes just to see Malfoy turning his head towards Louis with a very pissed look on his face. What had just happened? What Louis had just interrupted?

Malfoy didn't loose his grip though, and I liked it.

Suddenly everybody of our group followed Louis' voice, running widely out of the party towards the Black Lake outside.

Merlin know how the bloody hell we are going to manage to get a group of crazy adolescents out of the Castle past curfew with Filch patrolling the corridors.

"Let's go!" I gripped at Malfoy's shirt, touching his soaked chest. His eyes didn't leave mine as we teared a little apart, following my family and friends. Louis and Hugo didn't forget to catch a box of butterbeer though, leading our way out of the Castle towards a new party at the Black Lake while the summer still hasn't ended.

I love summer, have I ever said that? I gave a final glance to my colourful lights and left the Room of Requirement with Malfoy holding my hand. How ironical and pathetic and 'Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy' is that?

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ I really am sorry for taking so long to update, unfortunately, to not leave you guys with only one chapter this month, chapter five is shorter than the previous ones, but I hope you guys still enjoy it. I was wondering:

What did you think about Fantastic Beasts?

Where are all of you my readers from? Anyone from Africa, North/Central/South America, Europe, Oceania, Asia? Let me know, I am really curious!

How is the story so far? I am waiting for your review, folks!

I hope to upload another chapter soon,

 _Binki_

 _Ps. I would like to thank my 'fanfic fan' that left a review about Chapter 4, thank you for your kind words! My heart is warmed! I'm really happy to know you are enjoying my story so much, readers like you that make me keep writting!_

 _Much love!_


	6. Giant Squids and How to Befriend Them

_**Disclaimer:**_ I'm getting tired of writing it because I am not capable of creating the Wizarding World, its all Jo Rowling's property.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Six - Giant Squids and How to Befriend Them**

We did it.

Hell yeah, we really did it.

"It was so awesome, we are so clever for not being caught!" an excited voice said, I was not in my best to identify whose was this.

"Actually buddy, we are not that clever, we just followed uncle Harry's map, that's a blessing!" Louis said (I've known his voice for almost two decades, come on!), putting the box full of butterbeers on the grass.

"Louis, you could pretend that we are awesome!" Ella pouted, making Louis blush. Oh boy, that's new! My best friend just doesn't notice the effect she has over people.

"WE ARE AWESOME!" Lysander exclaimed, taking everybody's attention to him. He didn't seem to care though, just like aunt Luna and uncle Rolf, immersed in their own exotic world. "COME ON, FOLKS!" Lysander took my best friend's hand, leading her into the Black Lake.

All the others cheered around (surprised after seen Lysander acting not like him: sociably), taking shoes and shirts off and running into the Lake. For such a warm night there was nothing better than a good dive in the Black Lake cool water. I need it, I'm feeling so warm right now.

"Where are you going, Weasley?" a voice beside me caught my attention. I had almost forgotten that Malfoy was by my side. Oh yeah, we were dancing like the horny teenagers we are back at the Room of Requirement. Oh yeah, he is my enemy and most annoying person on Earth but I let my barriers down and almost did I don't know what with him, the only thing I know is that we had never been so close like this before. Because I have no morals nor dignity, shame on me.

"For such a nice body you make some dumb questions..." and I have no filter, Merlin kill me.

"I rather you drunk, you are honest and funny and careless" he looked pretty much honest as well, a true beam covering his face. His beautiful face, I have to say, his paleness looked great under the moonlight, how can I call it, moonkissed?

"Yeah, the feeling is mutual, I rather you drunk because you don't throw me your arrogant smirk, but you still make dumb questions..." I started taking my shoes off.

"And you have no filter, so we are matched..." he stopped when I started taking my shirt off. "Hey, calm down, lady" he didn't let me though "Do you know what you're doing, Weasley?" he had wide eyes, looking like Lysander.

"I told you that you make dumb questions, I am going to swim, genious, what's the deal?" I don't get this boy.

"Alright..." he let me finish, and just as I threw my shirt on the grass I noticed he wasn't looking to me, he had his head turned towards the lake, like if he couldn't look at me right now.

"And then I am the prude one? You are such a hypocrite!" I was not believing him, seriously? "Have you never seen I girl like this, just on her panties?" I don't know where I got the guts to say things like this to none other than Malfoy, I hope to not remember all of this tomorrow. Or maybe I would like to, it's probably the funniest night I've ever had. Dad would be proud, less for the 'almost snogging Malfoy' part.

"You don't know nothing, Weasley!" he brought me back to Earth. Seriously? Where are my colourful lights?

"Show me, then!" can someone please shut me up? I have no control over my mouth anymore.

He just seemed to be in funny disbelief seeing me like this, all prompt and careless, so he took his clothes off but before I could check him out he put me over his shoulder and ran towards the Black Lake, from where I could hear loud talking and singing. My family and friends are just the party spirit, aren't they?

"Malfoy, put me down! Now!" I was yelling at him, trying to kick him at the right spot. I mean, my bum was besides his face, how embarrassing!

"Yes, ma'am!" and just as he said that he threw me at the cool water, and it was one of the best sensations of the night. I hold my breath and went deep down, diving into the darkness and enjoying the moment. I could still hear my friends and family, and their noises filled me inside so much that I didn't get scared when I felt a hand around my right ankle. I had felt this touch before, the knuckles, the warmth. Malfoy.

I turned around and opened my eyes, and surprisingly the full moon lit the Black Lake better than I expected, as I could see the shape of his form nearing me. Although we had a huge evolution in our 'relationship', if bickering and arguing for years might be considered like 'this', I still couldn't avoid not taking fun over him. So just as we got back to the surface I threw an amount of seaweed over his head, making me laugh pretty hard. And let me tell you, after a few butterbeers and firewhiskeys I could get as loud as James, maybe it's a family thing. What a horrible thing to pass on, right?

"Very mature, Weasley" Malfoy said while he was trying to take the seaweed off of him. I heard my cousins' giggling around us, enjoying that silly trick, and could even notice the smirk in Malfoy's voice. Just being drunk to notice tiny details about Malfoy, I'm so pathetic.

"ROSIE!" Dom's voice sounded behind me and as I turned my back to Malfoy to see her I noticed she was with one of the Durmstrang boys, he looked like Louis, which make it seems pretty weird.

"Incest is creepy, Dominique!" Albus appeared, helping Malfoy with the seaweeds.

"SOD OFF, AL!"

"Merlin, I deserve to lose my Head Girl badge..." Roxy was embraced lovingly by her long term boyfriend Liam as she took a look around us. It was a mess.

"Chill out, Roxy, would you like a beer?" my brother asked her, I was surprised he even tried to comfort someone, he always feels weird when he has to do it. Still, comfort the Head Girl with a beer shows how his emotional is like the range of a stone. Just like dad.

I finally decided to look out for my best friend, I know, what a horrible best friend I am.

"Ellaaaaa" I was floating like a flower at the water's surface. I know, what a joker I am. "Ellaaaaaa" I just couldn't move from my peaceful state, so my best friend has to come to me.

"What, big head?" I noticed that someone approached me, her voice as soft as always, but even more relaxed than usual. If it was possible, Ella is the yoga master, or whatever it is, mum became an instructor with Grandma Granger in the muggle world and keep saying that Ella has the talent for it. Indeed Ella has tried to teach me but my mind is no peaceful enough to yoga.

"ELLA!" I got back to my feet, embracing my best friend senseless. "I missed you"

"Yeah, right, you traded me for... MALFOY!" she looked down at me, no one had noticed yet? "Merlin, am I raving?"

"No, big head, when he drinks he is not that unbearable..." I got my defenses up, my mind is so confused right now.

"You deserve each other, just hours ago you were all mysterious about something between you two and then I guess I saw you dancing together, and then I think he brought you here into the Black Lake... Seriously?" she was having a hard time to understand if everything makes any sense.

"Ella, drop it, it doesn't make sense..." I tried to change the subject, it's not time to rationalize.

"Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy don't make sense, you both are pathetic... But that's why we are best friends..."

"Aw, Ella, are you declaring your love for me?" no, I can't cry, I already am a mess.

"Rosie, you are not the Rose I know when you drink"

"My theory is that when we drink we reveal our true selves..." Albus voice approached us, Malfoy behind him, still with seaweed over his body... his shirtless body, I have to say. Damn it.

"So you are truly awesome, Albus!" Ella cheered, giggling careless. Ella is such a free spirit that it's impossible to not want to be her friend, perhaps she is the one that makes me less systematic than I already am.

"And you are truly gorgeous, woman!" Al winked at her. Merlin, what the hell?

"Barrier, dear Albus, you are not that cheeky!" I scolded him for that behaviour, giggling at his and Ella's pink cheeks. Actually that scene was rather cute. Merlin, what am I saying. "It would be so odd if you two start dating, I mean, you two are my best friends" I was laughing at the impossibility of this.

"It's just like if you and Scorpius had a thing, you two are Al's best friends!" Ella was laughing was well, apparently she also didn't believe in her and Albus as much as she doesn't believe in Malfoy and I being a thing.

"Yeah... Right..." Al just can't hide though. He tried to giggle, and I think that Ella was convinced, but not Malfoy and neither me. And I am a little drunk and still noticed this tiny detail. Ella is so innocent at times, Merlin's beard!

I just threw him my 'we talk later' look, he gave me back a defeated one and tried to change the subject.

"Where is James?" Albus asked, looking around us.

"People keep disappearing, where is Lorcan and Lily?" Hugo asked, not noticing that asking this to her older brother is not the best choice.

"Hugo..." Louis approached us with my brother, just shaking his head not believing in my brother's lack of sense.

"... You have no filter, do you?" I actually was asking to myself, what should I do with that boy?

"Where is Lily?" Al now had a pissed look "Lils?" he asked to no one at all.

"Leave her, Al" Alice scolded my cousin while I embraced him to calm down his older brother instincts.

"Rosie... she's only fourteen, what Lorcan has on his head, for Merlin's beard?" he whispered so only Malfoy and I could listen to him.

"Do you really want me to tell you, mate?" Malfoy asked him, looking at me with mischievous grey eyes, winking as I joined him with the not so discreet giggling.

"It's not that hard to guess, Albie, Lorcan is just like any other hormonal seventeen year old teenager..." I couldn't hide my giggle anymore as Al expression of disgust was priceless.

"Leave me, you two, I think I need another firewhiskey... Lou, where is the box?" my cousin left Malfoy and I, his expression telling me that he was absorbed in a inner war to not think about what Lily might be doing with Lorcan.

"Where is James though?" Ella asked, a butterbeer in her hand.

"I know, right? It's so not loud without him..." Jack neared us with Lysander, whose eyes were wide as usual.

"WHERE ARE YOU, GIANT SQUID?" Dom's voice sounded from the middle of the Lake, Genevieve with her and other Durmstrang boys, including the one that looks like Louis.

"Don't worry, Dom is honoring James very irritably well..." Liam said as he and Roxy arrived.

"And Rosie and I saw when James left the party..." Roxy was feeling a bit uncomfortable to talk about James after the not so friendly exchange we witnessed between him and Harper.

"Spit it out Rosie" Ella noticed the glance Roxy and I traded, that girl is clever and know me too well, damn it.

"What?" I looked to my family and friends. "He just left..."

"Don't fool us, Rosie, James doesn't leave a party, he is the party!" Louis looked skeptically at me.

"My sister is so naïve, seriously, Rosie? What happened?" Hugo had an arched eyebrow at me and he was looking so much like mum.

"Why suddenly are you all sober?" I was not comfortable as well "Get back to being drunk and careless!" I tried to sound relaxed but I am a terrible liar.

"He left with Harper, Merlin guys!" Malfoy came to rescue me, Merlin bless him! I couldn't believe I said 'bless' instead of 'kill'. Hogwarts had not even started properly and things were not as they should be anymore. James left a party, James and Harper had a fight, Roxy was not claiming order, Fred was nervous to talk to a girl, Malfoy and I were not arguing and even having fun together, Lily was not anymore only at the platonic level with Lorcan, and Lysander was not being unsociable. I hope Ella doesn't leave her vegan habits or I'll get mental with so many strange things happening.

"Oh, finally, it's about time!" Al said, handing a butterbeer to Malfoy.

"BUT I'VE SEEN JAMES WITH VIOLET MACGRATH!" Dom yelled, approaching us with her group of foreigners.

"Oui" Genevieve agreed. Dom and her big mouth, now everybody will get confused and try to investigate. Not enough, tomorrow James and Harper will be not like they use to and people will speculate even more. And something that doesn't exist in our family is privacy, I assure you from previous personal experiences.

"Hm, interesting..." Louis kept moving his platinum eyebrows, like guessing what was going on.

"Where is my cousin?" Malfoy asked.

"Matteo was right behind us..." Hugo murmured, looking around like finally realizing he was not with us. Hugo is such a horrible friend, if I could call him and Matteo as friends. Apparently everybody knew he was Malfoy's cousin less me. Am I so egocentric? _'Hell yeah, you still have to apologise'_ oh no, I need alcohol to shut up my inner self.

"He took the direction towards the dungeons after painfully watching Lily dancing with Lorcan" Roxy said, tenderly kissing Liam's jaw, who was embracing her from behind. Their cuteness makes me shiver, I don't know what does it means though.

"What?" Albus spit his beer, not expecting to hear it "Matteo has a crush on Lily?" he asked, like if he couldn't handle any other news about his little sister's love life.

"Seriously Al? Are you so oblivious?" I asked him incredulous with his lack of perception.

"Yeah, mate" Malfoy agreed. Malfoy and I agreed about something. Am I raving? Merlin, tonight has been such a watershed for me.

"Sod off you two, what? Now are you plotting together to conspire against me? My two best friends?" He seemed rather betrayed, messing his jet black hair like usual.

"Grow up, Albus!" Louis mocked at him, throwing more seaweed over his hair. That's when Dominque started a seaweed fight. And not even Roxy was able to stop herself from joining us.

Ella threw a lot of seaweed at Lysander and Jack, who got it hanging over his head and threw it at Liam and Roxy. Dom and Genevieve and the guys from Durmstrang were in a heavy fight, throwing seaweed towards everybody in the lake. Hugo and Louis were plotting against their older sister, I know them. They always trick Dom and I, and when Lily is around she helps to do it with Albus. Then, to avoid being seaweeded – I am so genius when I drink that I even make up new words – I dived away from them, to a spot that is one of my favourites, between the rocks at the lake's curve. Not too far, but where you can have some privacy.

The fact is, the night was so delightful and had been such a great weather that all I wanted now was to seat by the rocks and admire the moon and my family and friends having some fun. I love to join the fun, but also I have always enjoyed to watch people, making the simplest things, but still being completely oblivious to the fact that someone like me was watching their every move. It shouldn't sound creepy, but since Granddad Granger teached me how to take photographs with muggle cameras I have this kind weird habit. That's why I have a passion for muggle photos, they don't move so I love to imagine what was happening when it had been taken.

"So here is where you hide" his voice came into my ears, but I kept my eyes over the funny scene occurring at the lake's edge.

"You shouldn't have discovered, are you following me?" I asked teasing him.

"I don't know why" he said sincerely, making me look at him.

His eyes, so piercing, that I just couldn't get my own blue eyes away from them.

"What are we doing, Malfoy?" I asked him.

"Dunno, not annoying each other?"

"I had never imagined it could be possible" I got my attention back to my friends and family, watching them having fun makes my heart so warm.

"I am confused..." he murmured so quietly that I almost didn't listen to him.

"What if we talk about it later?" I suggested "For now, we should just enjoy the moment..."

"Since when are you this type of person?" he looked surprised, Merlin, I really need to change, people simply don't believe me when I say that I want to chill.

"Since when we can speak like... friends, instead of arguing insanely?" I asked him, arching my eyebrow at him.

"Touche!" he dropped the question.

"WHERE IS SCORPIUS?" Al yelled.

"He just can't live without you..." I said "We should get back, Malfoy"

"Yeah, Weasel, but I have a better idea and maybe it could shut Dom because she seems like James, Merlin" he whistled and suddenly a giant red and purple tentacle appeared from the surface.

"You're joking..." I looked incredulously at Malfoy "You domesticated the Giant Squid?" actually I was rather impressed.

"Well, I have been feeding him toast for years now, so I can say we have a friendship bond" he seemed very proud of himself.

"You're such a weirdo" but I giggled, just couldn't handle myself.

"Come on" he called me, getting into the tentacle and taking a seat.

"What?" I asked him.

"Are you afraid, Weasley? I thought Gryffindors were brave and fearless" he mocked at me. Somethings change but others simply cannot be changed at all.

"Sod off, Malfoy" I rolled my eyes at him, like usual.

"I missed it, you know" he said, as I took a seat beside him.

"Oh, Merlin, you scared me, I thought you were saying that you missed me, that would be awkward" I mocked, giggling at his bored expression.

"I will never say that, you're just so annoying" he rolled his eyes as well "Come on buddy, to the edge of the lake, please"

"You are talking to a squid, Merlin, pinch me" I am raving, I'm sure "OUCH! I said Merlin, not you Malfoy, you big head!" I slapped his hand away from my arm.

The squid indeed took us where Malfoy asked and Dominique freaked out. Of course.

"GIANT SQUID!" she yelled. Why does she have to be so loud?

"Gee, thanks, Rose and Scorpius, now she is out of control" Roxy said in a sarcastic tone. She is my favourite Head Girl ever. I winked at her, caring the squid's tentacle before Dom attacked me to take my seat.

"Thank you, Giant Squid, it was a memorable short trip" and just as I said this, the squid swung his other tentacles, making me laugh and even get fond for his sweetness.

Malfoy just looked at me, giving me a true beam after my words.

"Thanks, buddy, I'll bring you more toast tomorrow" the squid waited Dom to approach him to leave, diving away from us.

"NO!" Dom protested, throwing herself dramatically backwards to float on the water like I had done before.

"I hope she sleeps now" Louis commented, giggling at his sister.

"I know right, they just embarrass us" Hugo whispered to Lou, I just rolled my eyes. Perhaps I should have said that he is the one that embarrass me with his lack of manners and filter, but what happened right in front of me was just too awesome for me to waste my time fighting for my honor against my little brother.

Waving one of his tentacles at us when he was already at the middle of the Black Lake, the full moon was reflecting the image of our friendly Giant Squid very clearly at the surface. And it was of of the most memorable and prettiest moments that I had ever witnessed in my life.

* * *

Oh Merlin, why is a wand with the Lumos charm pointed at my face? I opened one of my eyes, Merlin, I was raving. Actually, why do I have to wake up? Why nobody closed the curtains so the sunlight doesn't burn our faces? I was really pissed. And got even more pissed when I really woke up and my head was in such a pain that I haven't felt for a long time since the first party I attended when I was a fourth year student. Blimey, what happened?

Since I refused to get up to close the curtains I used my wand to do it for me, Merlin bless me for still having the hability to use my wand after being runned over by centaurs – not in the literal way, of course.

"Thanks, Rosie" Ella murmured, her voice in equal pain as mine, her face covered with her pillow.

I just hummed back, incapable to pronounce a coherent sentence, and got back to a heavy and peaceful nap. Have I ever said how much I love my comfortable and lovely bed?

It was not a peaceful nap though, I had flashbacks about what happened last night. I remembered James and Harper fight, her hurt and jealous eyes; I remembered Lily dancing closely to Lysander and Matteo sadly looking at her; I remembered Dom with many Durmstrang boys; I remembered Ella and Albus flirting and Jack and Lysander talking like they had never before; I remembered Louis and Hugo having so much fun and Alice dancing like crazy; I remembered Fred being nervous about Amelie and not seeing him afterwards.

But also I remembered, not as sharply as it probably happened, of dancing, throwing a butterbeer, giggling a lot, diving at the Black Lake, feeling needy, taking a ride at the Giant Squid's tentacle, and strangely all of my funniest and most enjoyable flashbacks have Malfoy included. All and every single one of them. Merlin, I hope to not be losing anything, any tiny detail, any important event. What have I done? I remembered taking a long glance over his toned body, his honest and funny beam at me, his not arrogant expression, his grey eyes, piercing but not annoying. I remembered having a truly great time with Malfoy, the boy that I've been arguing with for years. Years of bickering and insulting and being obligated to stand each other.

Suddenly I felt so strange and confused. It's just not normal or adequate or acceptable. Not at all. That's not how things are, period. That's not how things should be by how they really are. I mean, this sentence even makes any sense at all? Surely I'm getting mad. And what doesn't change is that Mafloy is the one to blame. This time though, for a different reason. I don't know whether I should be relieved or worried, or maybe pissed or worried, or acting nonchalantly or worried.

All I know is that I rather sleep instead of overthinking everything that happened last night, that I don't even know if it's really everything what I had just remembered, if you know what I mean. And happily, Malfoy still doesn't take my sleepiness away. I have to say before I get back to the heaven of unconsciousness that I didn't enjoy how I said 'still' so spontaneously, without even hesitate. I'm pathetic.

Nox!

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Another short chapter, I hope you like it! I was wondering though, do you guys rather many updates with shorter chapters or a single update with a longer chapter? Just wondering, please let me know!

Before I finish, I would like to thank my reader from Argentina that reviewed to chapter 5! I am really glad to know that you are enjoying my story, thank you for leaving a comment!

I'll try again - Where are you all from, folks?

Without further ado,

 _Binki_


	7. Something Good Can Work

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing despite the plot.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Seven – Something Good Can Work**

I am never drinking again. Ever. Why butterbeer and firewhiskey? Why did I have to drink about ten of them? Why can't we drink pumpkin juice or hot chocolate, sweeter, healthier, warmer or cooler, and no harm if you drink too much. They just make you happy and comfy. No hangover, no headache, no vomit, no feeling like you're dead while trying to do the simplest things. I am pathetic. Adolescents and their party addiction with alcohol is pathetic. Still though, I had one of the best nights ever. I love libraries and playing Quidditch and Christmas at the Burrow, but enjoy a great relaxed funny party is refreshing at times. Only after the hangover you realize it though.

But now I was enjoying a Monday morning before classes finally start. I have to say that I'm feeling torn between being eager to learn new subjects and improving my knowledge or feeling lazy already. I mean, it's seven in the morning. We simply can't learn anything at this time. It's cruel, vile and inefficient. It's dumb, actually. Perhaps mum could change it? She would be adored eternally , I'm sure.

"Morning, sunshine!" Al took a seat by my right side, taking the advantage that I looked to the left and robbed one of my toasts. HE ROBBED ONE OF MY BLOODY TOASTS.

"You know, if it was not dawn I would kick your arse, Al!" I said, getting more toast and more eggs to please my stomach.

"Rosie, you underestimate my knowledge about you, dear cousin. That's why I always rob your food when you're barely awake." he flattered himself, taking a pile of food to his plate.

"Clever" I admitted while chewing my food.

"You're no lady, uh?" James come to seat in front of me.

I was surprised to say at least, he didn't look bad at all. But then, does he even remember what happened saturday night during the party.

"I got my manners from you" I simply said, taking a sip of my pumpkin juice.

"But I am a boy"

"No, you are a chauvinistic pig" I retorted, throwing him my intimidating pissed glare.

"Just teasing, aunt Hermione" he still has sense of humor. Maybe he solved things with Harper. If I were her I wouldn't talk or even recognise his presence for a week at least. I am that stubborn, I have to say.

"So, why did you leave the party earlier?" Albus said curiously. Paraphrasing Fred, sometimes Al likes to gossip better than aunt Audrey.

"None of your business" James' face fell. Hm, I think I was wrong.

"Don't be harsh James" I scolded him "Al is just worried about you as everybody else"

"Yeah, also, I'm actually curious to know whether you got lied by Harper or Violet MacGrath" Al had a mischievous look, moving his eyebrows just like Louis does when he is teasing Dom or Victoire.

I looked at Albus, he deserves James' rudeness.

"Seriously, Al?" I was trying not to laugh at his 'Audrish' behaviour.

"I know my baby brother, Rose" James glared pointedly at Al like proving his point "But really appreciate your caring about me" he beamed at me, but it didn't reach his brown eyes. James is almost the master of covering his feelings, but I know him too well to let it pass. He was hurt. James reached for my hand over the table, a sign that only we know meaning that we need to talk to each other. I simply nodded to him, like assuring my cousin that I would be there for him. Always.

"Where are the girls?" Al asked, he is such an unaware person that didn't even notice the short exchange between James and I.

"Roxy already had breakfast and is in a Head Girl meeting with the Head Boy and McGonagall, Dom just can't get up, and I tried really hard, Lily is nowhere to be seen, probably with Lorcan..." I teased the Potters boys, smirking at their reaction as Al spit his pumpkin juice over his own plate and James eggs dropped dead over his robes "...Molly went directly with her Hufflepuff friends take breakfast at the kitchen, Lucy is right there with Frank, like usual, at the Ravenclaw's table" I hope to not have forgotten any female cousins or I would feel really bad.

"Hm" Al apparently remembered someone I didn't "And Ella?" he didn't look at my face, just pretended to be looking for something at his plate full of eggs.

"Why do you want to know?" I asked curiously to my cousin.

"I just don't get why you didn't talk about her ..." he tried, but Albus Potter simply can't hide anything from me, I just know him too well.

"Because she is not your cousin, Albus, and you guys aren't even friends" I pointed out fiercely.

"What makes you think we are not friends?" Al challenged me.

"You barely know each other" I said, looking questioningly to James who had a mischievous smirk on his face. It doesn't look good at all.

Al didn't say anything, just tried very hard to not beam while apparently talking to himself.

"Spit it out, Albus" I threatened him.

"They sent letters to each other the whole summer" James said, faking that he shouldn't have said it by putting a hand to cover his mouth, but laughing at Al's face right after it.

"WHAT?" now I am feeling awake.

"Yeah, well" Albus said, his cheeks pink.

"Do not 'well' me, Albus, I didn't even know where she was during the whole summer" I said suspiciously.

"I met her when we were in Barcelona with my parents and well, we had a fun night at a muggle party at the beach" he beamed while remembering.

"Both of you have a lot to tell me, uh!" I demanded, my two best friends met each other during holidays and I didn't even know that they have been friendly recently, I am feeling hurt "Why didn't you tell me, Al? You are my best mate" I said accusingly.

"Ella said she wanted to tell you herself since you might not have the best reaction thinking 'ridiculous' things" he didn't seem very pleases though.

"You like her" James and I said at the same time.

"What? No" Al denied, of course he did "We're just friends, all I can say is that I should have talked to her before since she is your best friend and I am your best friend and favourite cousin" Al put his arm over my shoulder, embracing me tenderly, just like we usually do.

"Favourite cousin? You flatter yourself, Albus" James seemed rather outraged.

"I am just stating a fact, James" Albus said.

"You flatter yourself, Al" Fred arrived "I am her favourite cousin" he glared me with threatening eyes "Right, Rosie?"

"Well..." I remembered Matteo and his 'well' panic attack when trying to hide something.

"Hi, family" a raspy voice took her seat on the bench beside me "Lovely day, uh?" Dom looks sick.

"You look awful" Al said, taking a distance from us.

"And you have no filter, Albus" Hugo and Louis joined us.

"And you have no moral, Hugo" I guess Louis couldn't believe my brother was lecturing Albus when he is the 'king of no filter'.

"Family gathering, always lovely" Fred said, beaming like a child to each one of us.

"Lovely" Dom said again, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice and not liking at all as she scowled with disgust.

"You are weak to drinking Dom" Hugo said in a pitiful tone, I don't know if he was making fun of her or tried to comfort her. As I said before, he and his manners will be the death of me.

Dom just growled in response "Rosie" she said, and I already knew what she was going to ask "Potion" I always make an 'uneasy potion' for her when she parties too much, which happens frequently.

"Hello, family" Roxy appeared from nowhere, looking like if she has been awake for hours and was okay with it. My cousins are weird.

Everybody mumbled in response for her elated and 'into business' tone.

"Anyway, here is your schedule for this semester" she handed to each one of us a piece of parchment "And Rosie, your prefect duties and pairing, before you complain, Rosie, I can't change that, it's McGonagall's decision" she said while I was taking a look over my parchment "But I think that the party saturday had positive effects on your relationship with your pair, so enjoy yourself" Roxy laughed, kissed Fred's red head, and left to give other students their schedules.

"Oh" that's all I managed to pronounce as I read my pair's name.

"Who is it, Rosie?" Louis asked curious "Thanks Merlin that we still don't have to deal with this crap of prefect duties" he said to Hugo.

"Don't worry, McGonagall would never pick you as a Prefect, Louis" James said, smirking like if identifying with his impossibility of being a Prefect.

"How can you say it?" Louis asked "I am very polite and charming, McGonagall loves me" he said, messing his blonde curls.

"She just thinks you're cute" Albus said, reading his own parchment as well.

"Just? It works with every woman, okay?" Louis flattered himself, teasing Albus.

"It's because you are our heir, Lou" Fred whispered.

"What do you mean?" I asked already disliking their mischievous tone, I know my cousins too well.

"When Fred and I leave Hogwarts next year, Louis will have to keep our tradition for trouble" James explained, looking proud at Louis "Hugo can become a heir if he gets more detention, he still is a behaved boy"

"Leave my brother, James, he is an innocent child"

"Rosieeee" Hugo protested embarrassed.

"Don't worry, I will honor the family when you both are gone, and since Hugo is my best mate he will get along to this life and become a new Marauder as well" Louis beamed with pride, while my brother looked a little uncertain.

For those wondering, that's how James and Fred call themselves: the new Marauder's. They self entitled themselves after stealing uncle Harry's Marauder's Map from his office at their home. Uncle Harry found out one year later, when James was entering his third year, but instead of scolding him he also gave his son his invisibility cloak. Not coincidentally, after achieving his 'trouble tools', James and Fred have been in detention every month until now. Mum, dad and uncle Harry surprisingly traded a smirk between them when they found out about the new owners of the Map. That's when they told all of us about their stories with the Marauder's Map, and it even inspired James and Fred to be as troublemakers as the Golden Trio and his grandfather James and his friends combined. He got very excited after discovering that the Marauder's Map is a creation of his own grandfather James Potter and his friends, he got very proud of their 'legacy' and even named his owl as Padfoot. I think it's brilliant, seriously. Thankfully James shares the map with us, his family, even the cloak, so all of us has experienced the perks of the 'trouble tools', as Nana Molly call them.

After all, that's what family is for, to get in trouble together.

* * *

"Who is your pair for prefect duties?" Al asked me, trying to read over my shoulder the name written on my parchment.

"Seriously? Is it not enough to have the first class of Monday with Slytherin?" I asked him grumpily like I always am before it's 10 am.

"At least we have Potions and together" he tried to correct me "as first class on Mondays!" Al is so sweet, always trying to see the bright side of life.

"But you always seat with Malfoy" I complained, sometimes I get really pissed with Malfoy because if Albus and him simply hated each other my cousins would seat with Ella and I every class. But I would have to share my seat with both of them and in fact three doesn't make a good number during classes. Perhaps Malfoy has his value.

"And you always seat with Ella" he said, embracing me.

"Well, they are not around..." I said in a suggested tone, knowing already that he would complete my sentence.

"... We shall seat together!" he beamed, messing with my hair.

"Don't you dare, Albus" I threatened him, making both os us laugh. Like I said, he is so unaware that didn't even notice that my pair had been left behind.

Apparently mondays are really not my day, because just as I took a seat with Albus and we were having a great conversation, Professor Finnigan arrived with an amount of late students and started to make his own arrangements about who should seat together.

"Mr. Potter, please take a seat with Ms. Richards" I was looking around in search for my best friend, who had just arrived with a toast in her hand. She gave me a 'sorry' glance and took a seat beside Al, he didn't event tell me a 'goodbye', that bastard.

"Miss Weasley..."

"Yes" Dom and I said at the same time, which made both of us laugh, after I gave her a back up potion she was looking much better already.

"Miss Delacour-Weasley, please take a seat with Mr. Scamander" Professor Finnigan said.

Why is everybody being paired less me? It makes me with the one and only...

"Miss Granger-Weasley, your partner this year will be Mr. Malfoy" he said happily, since Malfoy and I are the best students from our year.

I got tense, I haven't seen him or spoken to him since the party and as far as I remember we got really well and drunk. But sober we have not the best 'relationship'. I don't even know how to act around him anymore. Did the party change something between us? I noticed when he dropped his bag on the floor and took a seat beside me.

"Morning, Weasel" well, he never greets me if he's not using his sarcastic tone, so apparently something has changed indeed, but he still calls me 'Weasel', which means that things did not change at all. I'm feeling confused already.

"Morning, ferret" I decided to stay in a safe place and act just like him. I'm feeling with no personality right now. I mean, why do I mind if I am acting like I should after whatever happened. I've never been like this around him. Uncertain. It has always come up naturally between Malfoy and I.

I noticed he beamed lightly, not looking to me, more like if the beam was for himself. Before I could control myself I was doing the same. Hogwarts is not like I was used too. And I am kind of feeling well enough with this new arrangements. After all, normality can get kinda boring when you are an adolescent.

"Partners again" I murmured while writing the recipe that Professor Finnigan was asking us to do.

"Again?" Malfoy asked, looking at me. He still has the arrogant look, the mischievous grin, the Malfoy aura.

"Didn't you receive the prefects duties parchment this morning?" I asked.

"Weasley, I was late, just got here because I was not the only one and someone knew the Slytherin schedule" he said "Why?" he looked suspicious "Don't tell me..."

"Yeah" I made a scowl, but I was more teasing than disgusted "McGonagall paired us for prefect duties"

"Blimey, sixth year has barely started and I already loathe it the most" typical Malfoy and Rose exchange, but this time we were teasing, not necessarily insulting each other. I guess, I may be wrong. From Malfoy I could expect anything. The worst, like I am used to from the previous years, or sometimes the not so bad, as I surprisingly witnessed at the party.

 _'You owe him more than ever an apology then'_ my consciousness said, damn, will I ever get this spark of guilty off of me? _'When you apologise, you dumb',_ have I pointed out how much I master the art of self deprecation?

"I know, right" I even managed to laugh, because really? Why aren't we insulting each other and rambling how horrible is the fate of being put together to work in Potions and as prefects. It seems like this year is conspiring for us being together for some reason. Merlin's balls, I don't know what o expect from now on. I remembered what dad told me before "enjoy yourself", I think that for the first time in my life I'll stick to not over analyze nor overthink things. I just hope to not regret being a careless Rose.

* * *

First day of class hadn't been that bad. After 10 am I was really enjoying being back to Hogwarts with my family and friends, and there's still so much to come. I had almost forgotten that Hogwarts is hosting the Triwizard Tournament, I just still didn't find time to talk to my seventh year cousins about it. But knowing them, the eternal glory is probably very appealing to James and Fred, so I wouldn't doubt if they put their names at the Goblet of Fire. It also remembered me about what Skeeter had said during the Quidditch World Cup final, and then our parents awkwardness. I need to write mum, how she managed to hide the Tournament from me?

I got my quill and a piece of parchment from my bag and took a seat by the fireplace, where there are three couches and loads of pillows so big groups like my family could seat around and enjoy the Common Room. I have to say that since we seat here almost every night this comfy spot is even known as the 'Potter/Weasley Zone', not that we require it. I noticed since I entered Hogwarts that my family does not take advantage over other students' admiration for our family, so we were known as kind, polite e cool, normal teenagers, instead of spoilt, arrogant and with a superior air.

I started writing my letter to mum:

 _'Dear mum,_

 _I hope you and dad are doing well, I know it's been only a few days that I got back to Hogwarts but as you probably already know we were told about Hogwarts hosting the Triwizard Tournament. I was wondering if you could tell me about it when it happened so many years ago._

 _Also, I just can't imagine you being so keen about a Tournament with tasks for 17 year old teenagers and mainly when they have NEWT's at the end of the year._

 _Please be honest with me, I'm not a child anymore that you have to hide a few details. I don't know if I should be worried or excited about this year, so the best person I could resort to answer me that is you. It's always you._

 _Love,_

 _Rosie'_

"What you're doing, kiddo?" James took a seat beside me, looking uneasy just like he did during breakfast.

"Writing to mum" I said "But I think we need to talk, right?" I asked him, already taking my shoes off and stretching my legs over his lap as James and I always have long talks.

"Yep" he said, not looking at me but to the fireplace like if it was the most entertaining thing in the world. I waited until he was confident enough to open to me "I guess you saw what happened between Harper and I"

"Yep" I said cautiously, I haven't seen her all day indeed.

"Well, Roxy already scolded me so you don't need to do it, alright?" I just agreed, actually when I listen to my cousins I never scold them, but just support, the adults already scold us so, yeah "Right, I was pretty crazy, you know, I always get like this, everybody knows..."

"You wouldn't be James Potter if you didn't act like this..." I commented.

"So I was dancing with Harper when Edward Eccleston called her. I don't stay alone for a long time you know..."

"Yes, I do, despite your awkwardness you are pretty charming" I said.

"I know right, girls just can't resist me, and I finally took the courage to try something with Violet MacGrath"

"Finally, you have been drooling for her for ages" although I would rather Harper, Violet is too perfect in my opinion.

"She didn't even pay attention to me, but I tried, and she turned me down, I am not used to being turned down but I wouldn't force her, I'm not crap" he said, to make clear he was not a chauvinistic.

"If you had done it I would kick you arse" I notified him, for Merlin's beard, I just couldn't handle having a male cousin that treat woman like objects.

"I would kick my arse! Anyway, I got upset though, so I drank even more, but then anything would piss me off. The lights changing colour so fast, how other students were dancing happily, how other guys were having a great time with the girls they like, the chips had disappeared and I was hungry, and Harper just came back talking about how Edward this and Edward that, and I told her to stop because she was getting on my nerves"

"Harsh, James" I said simply.

"And then it got worse when I saw you and Malfoy wasting firewhiskey! Come on you two! I just lost my track when Harper said in front of everybody that I had been turned down by Violet. So I just lost. And she lost too." he finished, waiting for my final say.

"Did you apologise?" I wondered.

"She slapped my face, Rosie!" he said bitterly "I disrespected her but she also did it to me!"

"James, and you are going to ruin your friendship with your best friend because of your giant ego?" I asked him "I'm not judging you, but you need to sort out what worth the most to you. Your pride or Harper?"

"Damn, it makes sense, it's just I didn't want to be the one to apologise. We had never fought before..." he looked sad and adrift, apparently I am not the one having to deal with a different reality.

"If it helps, I also owe someone an apology but I just don't know what to do" I admitted, biting my lip.

"Why? You are Rose Weasley, you always know what to do" he said surprised by my confession.

"I'm not so certain about myself anymore, not this year"

"I know, I'm feeling like this"

"But answering your question, I was rude to Malfoy at the Quidditch World Cup final and since then he was ignoring me"

"Well, that's fine for you? You loathe the guy" he said confused, I know James, I feel so confused.

"Yeah, but during the party we got along quite nicely" I said, waiting for his reaction, but James just waited for me to finish my sentence "And anyway I've been feeling guilty, because what I said was really low and disgusting" I'm so ashamed now after saying out loud what I had done, the guilty was bitter at my mouth.

"Whatever you said to him" I'm thankful that James didn't ask what I said to Malfoy, because even I couldn't believe I really had said it to him "You must be really sorry, because it's Malfoy, you and him insult each other in daily basis and you never feel guilty or bad about it" he was deliberating about my situation but I could feel he was comparing to his own with Harper "But you should apologise then, it doesn't hurt, right?" he seemed like a little child now.

"I guess it doesn't... Not so much" I was uncertain as well.

"We have big egos, uh?" James even laughed at how pathetic it is.

"I know right, we need to grow up" I said.

"What if we make a deal and face this challenge together?" James proposed humbly, I already know what he's thinking, I am having the same idea as well.

"We should apologise to Harper and Malfoy, right?" I asked.

"Yeah, dear cousin, time to face adulthood" he beamed at me "I'm feeling much better, thank you for supporting me, Rosie, although I am so fucked up"

"Thank you for being a big brother although sometimes I act like Nana Molly" and we embraced tightly, feeling relieved to have each other to deal with our problems.

"I WANT TO JOIN FAMILY GATHERING!" Fred jumped over James and I, at the same time breaking our embrace and trying to join it.

"Merlin, Fred, how much of pudding did you have during dinner?" James asked tauntingly.

"What are you guys talking about?" Fred just rolled his eyes to James.

"Harper" James said to Fred, who probably had been the first who James talked about, since they are best friends.

"I bet that Rosie gave you the best advice" Fred said.

"Of course" James beamed, messing with Fred's hair.

"Good for you mate, she gave me the worst advice" Fred seated on the floor, his skin getting a little shade of... green?

"What happened Fred?" I asked him, worried with my cousin.

"Do you remember when you said I should act just like myself with Amelie?" he said, but seems like he is about to vomit "I really tried, but she couldn't understand me very well"

"Well, language barrier, perhaps if you learn fren..." but he interrupted me.

"No, she speaks English, it's just that I was speaking so fast and I noticed people looking to us that I... I vomited all over her beautiful blue dress..." Fred was looking so embarrassed, like if he couldn't believe himself.

"Oh, Freddie..." I was speechless, what could I say? It was disastrous.

"Relax mate, it was not... that... bad" James tried, and I give him credit for that.

"Not that bad?" Fred almost yelled "It's awful, she can't see me that she runs away, I never felt so ashamed in my whole life" he looked miserable.

"Fred, drop it, she is being childish, she could have faced in a better comical way, let's get more pudding and ice cream so you feel better" I embraced him, patting on his back.

"Thank you Rosie, but I already had too much food, I'm gonna vomit over someone else and I'm done with embarrassing myself" I had never seen Fred so miserable like this before, for girl? Seriously? I guess James thought the same thing after his own disastrous experience.

"Fred, let's play chess, come on! We need to get over these girls!" James didn't even wait for Fred's answer.

"Go ahead, boys, I have patrolling to do tonight, but what about we go to the Quidditch pitch tomorrow?" I was still trying to reassure Fred, he is always so joyful and playful, Amelie Marchand in not letting him down. I would not let it happen! Not with my cousin!

"Awesome!" James said, winking at me before I got out of the Gryffindor's Common Room.

* * *

I found myself appreciating the Castle while walking to the Great Hall, where Malfoy and I had agreed to meet to our patrol. I had missed so much this place. It's definitely home. The stone walls, the giant glass windows, torches lighting up the corridors, students' voices around the whole place.

I was just about get down the stairs when I noticed that Malfoy was already waiting for me but oblivious of my presence at the stairs. I took a minute looking to him and remembered my impressions over seeing him shirtless. I almost laughed at my foolishness. He is gorgeous, actually every girl in this Castle don't even hesitate to agree.

I tried to not think about it my current impressions, we've been arguing for so long that I actually never payed much attention to his appearance, until the party, until now. I'm saying that sixth year has been weird for me. If I had these thoughts last year I would probably find it disturbing and impossible. But now, it doesn't seem horrendous nor much less an impossibility.

I'm feeling so pathetic, spying over Malfoy. The fact is, I don't know him anymore. Not that I knew him before, it's just that now I simply don't know if we are 'enemies' anymore. And it freaks me out.

I remembered my conversation with James, perhaps Malfoy and I could have a restart, just like him and Harper. I was getting tired of fighting the whole time anyway, it doesn't mean we need to be friends, but maybe we can enjoy each other like colleagues during parties and work decently together in school projects. That's it. I am the Gryffindor here, I feel like I should do it. But I need to feel confident, because when I do things without being 100% about them I regret and one of the worst feelings for me is to regret about something. But I simply don't have time to be so sure. And since I decided to be a careless Rose, I pointed out to myself that is better to regret what you've done than what you simply didn't for lack of courage.

So when I was in front of Malfoy I didn't hesitate to say "I'm-sorry-for-calling-your-father-a-Death-Eater" actually, I spit it out. I would be scarred if I were him.

"Pardon?" his face was emotionless, like if he really hadn't listened to me. If he was tricking me just to make me apologise again I will call it off.

"What I'm saying, and it's not easy for me to do it, is that" I took a deep breath, finally looking at his grey eyes "Is that I'm sorry for calling your father a Death Eater" I finished, breathing relieved. Merlin, it's like a burden was taken off me.

Malfoy facade fell, he was not expecting for that, I am sure. I could see confusion, angst and now, a friendly expression over his face. But it happened so fast, because he is the master of hiding his emotions. Merlin, I'm getting nervous. He's not saying anything. But it was done. And whatever he would answer me back I already had my walls back up to retort to his arrogant manners. Perhaps deep down I would get frustrated if he reacted like the old Malfoy because I was trying to be a new Rose. Blimey! I was apologising to Malfoy, I can't even believe myself. I just hope that James does the same with Harper, if I am being humble with my 'enemy' he also has to be with his best friend.

"You are excused" he simply said, but I just couldn't read more about him because there was the plain Malfoy facade. His walls were up just like mine, so I decided to stay quiet. I don't even know what to think about his reaction, I think it's good right, I mean, he accepted my apologise. He didn't act arrogantly, nor teased or mocked me. Considering it's Malfoy and I, I guess we made a huge evolution here from unbearable children to decent adolescents.

We walked quietly around the Castle for forty minutes, we found a few first years lost, Peeves messing around the lavatories and, of course, couples snogging senseless in broom closets or old classrooms. Probably they are the worse. I could deal with Peeves, and so could Malfoy. But interrupting a couple snogging it's one of the most uncomfortable things ever. I mean, seriously? It can't get any worse.

But my mouth is so huge that is does get worse. When one of my cousins is snogging someone senseless.

"Weasley" Malfoy called me "Your turn to break them apart"

"But I've just done it with the last couple!" I protested.

"Yeah, but it's a red head girl so probably you can handle it better than me" he had a pleading tone and indeed he has a point.

I couldn't see their faces, but noticed the red from their robes. They were enjoying themselves, that's sure. The girl had a hand firmly on the boy's blonde hair, his hands were inside her robes and one of her legs was holding his body next to hers. They were moaning and Merlin, don't people need to breathe while they snog.

I looked back to Malfoy uncertain of how to stop them. He was watching the couple as well, but as soon as he noticed me looking at him he seemed as uncertain as me.

"I feel bad for doing it" he admitted, and I was not expecting to hear a confession from him.

"I'm tired of us feeling bad about it, so..." and I prepared my throat "40 POINTS FROM GRYFFINDOR FOR BEING PAST CURFEW AND CLASSROOM INAPPROPRIATE USE" I yelled at the couple, scaring them.

"Rosie" Lily said in a irritated tone "Did you have to yell?" she asked "And to embarrass me?"

"Yes I did, I'm tired of breaking couples apart after curfew, why didn't you go to the Room of Requirement?" I said without thinking.

"Great idea, Rosie! Thank you" Lily said happily, kissing my cheek and taking Lorcan with her.

"No, Lils! You need to get back to the Gryffindor Tower!" I tried to take them back to where they should be, but in vain.

Malfoy was giggling, like if he couldn't restrain himself.

"Great job Weasley, Albus and James will be delighted to know you arranged to Lily and Lorcan a nice place to breed"

I'm feeling pathetic, my fourteen years old cousin had just walked past my authority. I was laughing now, what a horrible night. I looked to Malfoy and apparently he was having fun over me. Awesome. It's kind of fun to watch people having fun over you.

"Alright, enough, Malfoy" I tried to scold him but even I am laughing about myself.

"Seriously, Weasley? How old is Lily? Fourteen? Where is your dignity?" I know he was teasing me but okay, we already had enough fun over me.

"Don't you dare mock over my dignity, Malfoy" I rolled my eyes. Seems like we can't just leave old times behind. We walked back together to the Great Hall before taking different ways to our Common Rooms. During the whole time Malfoy seemed to be having many thoughts in his mind because he looked like Albus, unaware of everything around him. Despite of that, I couldn't read anything else from him. I wonder if he could read me through my expressions, if he wondered about them as much as I do with his.

"Weasley" he called before I took my way to the stairs "I appreciate that you apologised" he was looking right into my eyes, holding my gaze "considering you are stubborn as a hippogriff" he teased, giving me a curt nod before disappearing in the shadows toward the dungeons.

I just stood there, so confused and so lost. Suddenly things between Malfoy and I were so strange. At least when we were fighting there was no such tension, or maybe there was tension but we still managed to get over it being childish. But now? We would tease and relax or stay quiet and act maturely without even looking at each other. I can't deal with such a bipolar environment. I will go mental. More than I already am.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello guys, I'm a bit disappointed that Chapter 6 didn't get any review, seriously, aren't you enjoying this story? I'm trying to keep writing but would be much better if you join me with your reviews.

Anyway, here is Chapter 7, I wanted to write more but apparently the Tournament and the characters development will start to happen next chapter. I hope to update soon, but also let me know what you think about it, right?

Without further ado,

 _Binki_


	8. The Goblet of Fire

_**Disclaimer:**_ If Harry Potter were mine I would have loads of reviews, but my readers already noticed that I am not Jo so they don't even bother to give a feedback. I'm serious, guys. I own nothing.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Eight – The Goblet of Fire**

First class of Tuesday was Defence Against the Dark Arts, and for the first time I was not in a bad mood in the morning, actually I was pretty excited, just like Albus, Dom, Ella and even Malfoy.

I didn't know until third year, but Teddy and Malfoy are cousins, which is really weird. Although their grandmothers don't talk to each other - for many reasons that Teddy said he would tell me later, and Merlin, it's been three years now and he still has to enlighten me. Anyway, they have a nice relationship, apparently. They are not as close as the Weasleys are to Teddy, but they really treat each other in a family way. Teddy even had dinner at Malfoy Manor and Malfoy spends some time at Teddy's grandma house.

"I can't believe that Teddy is going to be our teacher this year" Ella said, she had known him since we became best friends in first year and she always found him very funny with his metamorphosis skills. He's really awesome.

"I can't believe that my brother-in-law will be my teacher this year" Dom mourned a little grumpily "At least my brother-in-law is Teddy, which makes things easier for me" she beamed after realising the good side of it. Dom always helps me to deal with my problems with this positive side of her; she's a blessing in my life, for sure.

"I can't believe my cousin will be my teacher this year" Malfoy said as the five of us were walking together to our classroom after breakfast.

"Merlin, do we have to say it again to make more effect?" I asked faking annoyance, just to tease all of them. Because I am a teaser, the teasing queen, the master of teasing.

"I can't believe my god brother will be my teacher this year" Albus said tauntingly, making all of us laugh together.

If it was last year nobody would believe that we were all laughing together without Malfoy and Rose scowling to each other, but now it was really comfortable and not strange at all.

"Fine, I can't believe one of my best friends will be my teacher this year" I gave up, giggling with Dom, Ella, Malfoy and Albus even more.

"Well, thank you Rosie, I missed one of my best friends a lot since you guys had to grow up and become grumpy adolescents" a voice said behind us as we entered the classroom.

"TEDDY" all of us yelled to him, embracing him tenderly.

"Whoa, what a reception" Teddy said, laughing at us but embracing us back "Now, I need to teach you how to defend yourselves, kiddos" he tried to get serious but we just laughed as he traded his pink bubblegum hair to a red hair to match with Dom and I.

All of the students from Gryffindor and Slytherin took their seats in the classroom, Albus and Malfoy of course were together, I seat beside Ella and Dom took a seat with Lorcan.

"Good morning, sixth year students, I am Teddy Lupin, future Auror in training and your professor this year until mistress Georgia Waterhouse come back from maternity leave..." but Teddy stopped talking when he saw a Slytherin student with her hand above her head "Yes, Miss...?"

"Parkinson-Nott, sir" oh no, one of the most annoying girls I had ever have the displeasure of meeting, Heather Nott, apparently her mum was not very pleasantly as well when she studied with my parents and uncle Harry, Pansy Parkinson "Is it true that your father was a werewolf?"

This girl has no filter, no manners and no sense, she's worse than Hugo.

"Sod off, Nott!" I murmured threatening.

"You're ridiculous" Dom rolled her eyes, also with a threatening shade on them.

"You have no filter, Nott" Malfoy said defensively, not liking her tone.

I don't like hear at all.

"It's fine, guys" Teddy said to us, with a look that meant to us to let him deal with her "Although I don't think that I should talk about my private life during classes, I'll answer that because foremost I am very proud of who my father was" he said without hesitating. I bet that Al, Dom, Ella and Malfoy are also feeling proud of him as much as I am.

"My father, Remus, was a werewolf, it was tough but he had the best supportive team around him, his friends, James Potter and Sirius Black" Teddy said, earning a few whispering from some of our classmates that didn't know about their friendship "And luckily their friendship has been maintained through their sons, as Harry Potter is my god father and all the Weasley family is my family as well" he smiled then, getting back to his professor mode.

"Now, we are going to work with Dark Arts classified in three groups: jinxes, hexes and curses, someone could tell me what the difference between them is?" and just as Teddy said it my hand was above my hand, waiting to be called. I just couldn't help myself, it's part of my nature. I'm Hermione Granger's daughter for Merlin's beard "Yes, Rose? I mean, Ms. Weasley" he winked to me playfully, earning a few giggles from the class.

"These groups form a hierarchy, the further one ascends up the more wicked, stronger, longer-lasting and less reversible the Dark spell's effects are" I said in one breath, making Teddy grin to me,

"Very well, ten points to Gryffindor" Teddy said.

"That's nepotism" Ella mocked me, to which I just rolled my eyes. Typical Ella.

* * *

My mum wrote back to me on Wednesday morning, while I was having a marvellous breakfast. Her letter arrived with our owl Dobby, in honor of one of the bravest creatures mum had ever met, she said with tears in her eyes.

 _Dear Rosie,_

 _Your father and I are doing well, he got a bruise from one of their prototypes for Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, and he did a bit drama, but got over it. He wouldn't be Ronald Weasley if he didn't act childish sometimes. You know your father._

 _Now that you and your cousins know about the Tournament , your uncles and aunties and your father and I are planning to tell all of you everything you want to know about the Tournament when it happened years ago when we still were Hogwarts' students. But for a letter it's impossible. I'm sorry, dear._

 _Indeed what I can already say is that you know me too well, the Tournament will end by December, so it doesn't interfere with OWL's and NEWT's. It was my exigency for the event to happen in Hogwarts._

 _I hope you're doing well, sweetheart, and don't get worried, Rosie. There's nothing to worry about. Just enjoy sixth year, you and your cousins don't have to defeat a dark wizard at this age, so enjoy yourselves._

 _With much love,_

 _Mum_

"It's a bit crazy that you call the Minister for Magic as mum" Jack said after snooping my letter over my shoulder.

"I know right, when I go to her house I forget sometimes that I am sleeping at the Minister's house" Ella said after taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"Actually, when your uncle is Harry Potter mum being the Minister is not that awesome anymore" I said, putting a lot of eggs in my mouth.

"Or when you aunties are the best Quiddicth players of all time" Alice said, referring to aunt Ginny and aunt Angelina.

"Don't you feel tired of having such a famous and talented family?" Jack asked me "I get tired of all of my friends having famous and talented relatives" he taunted us as Dom stuck her tongue for him.

I just got back to my breakfast, laughing at Jack's remark. Indeed, having a talented family has always inspired me. I'm lucky to be a Weasley.

* * *

I wonder how crazy this is: it looks like the most we grow the faster the time flies. When I was eleven or twelve I remember that the years were so long that I even got pissed at times. But now, sixth year not only has been weird as the week passed really fast. I don't if I was enjoying so much classes that time was flying, but I suspect that it has something with Malfoy and I coexisting in a rather peaceful way.

Since I apologised for my disgusting behaviour we apparently found a truce, we are not friends but neither act like enemies anymore. We still mock at each other, like old times, but not the way we used to. I don't how to explain exactly what have changed. It simply did. And as the new careless Rose that I am – very hard indeed – to be, I was not over analysing Malfoy and I. I was just letting it happen. That's why I think I am feeling lighter; I noticed how arguing the way we used to do – with so much intensity and anger – was a waste of time and energy.

Is this what it's like to grow up and to mature? To develop a better consciousness and notice how ridiculous you used to be? I feel grown up, I have to say. And apparently everybody around us noticed how much we had changed. But my family, instead of asking me what the bloody hell had happened, they have the first stage that is gossip and make assumptions about my life. They even do it in front of me thinking I am not noticing their 'Audrish' behaviour, but I think that they do it exactly because I am around them and if I listen to their conversations I will spit out what they want so much to know.

But I would never give them the taste of getting something easy from me. I am Rose Granger-Weasley. I don't make it easy to anyone.

So after spending the whole week whispering around the corners and silently talking while we were having our meals, they finally got tired of themselves and came to talk to me. All of them. But it's funny to notice how each one has a different approach.

On Friday night, Lily went to the library where I was studying Ancient Runes, I was not surprised that she was the first to look for me. I know my baby cousin too well to know that curiosity is her weak spot.

"Rose Weasley" she said in a bossy tone, the one that Nana Molly, mum and all my aunties have, and that their daughters inherited "Tell me now what is going on between you and Scorpius Malfoy"

"You are spelling our full names, you really mean it, don't you?" I said laughing.

"Don't giggle, I am serious here" she took a seat by my side, whispering in a threatening tone.

"So am I, Lils" I said, rolling my eyes and getting back to my giant book.

"Rosieeee" she had an angst tone "Don't make me beg" she tried to pout.

"It doesn't work with me, Lily Luna Potter, and you know it" I scolded her.

"Blimey! It works with everybody" she complained, taking her beautiful hair from her face. She looks so much like my aunt Ginny that it scares me sometimes. But after uncle Harry showed me one of the few pictures he has from his parents I noticed how Lily resembles her Grandma Lily Potter.

"Actually just with males" I said.

"Rosie, seriously, I always had an eye over you and Malfoy" Lily doesn't lose time.

"Oh, really" I said sarcastically, trying to translate that document.

"Rosie"

I said nothing.

"Rosie"

I still didn't glance at her.

"Rosie"

She's getting on my nerves.

"Rosie"

And she knows it.

"Rosie"

"WHAT?" I yelled and Madam MacNair shot me a disapproving glance "Lily, spit it out because I don't want to be expelled of the library and I also have to translate this document" I whispered this time, shooting her a tired glance.

"Fine" she said "Are you and Malfoy snogging around the Castle? Because you don't fight anymore" she was analyzing me mindfully.

"It doesn't even make sense" I rolled my eyes "Seriously?"

"You're not answering my question" she still has that suspicious look on her face.

"Lily, Malfoy and I aren't even friends" people are getting mental, seriously.

"Well, you are not enemies anymore, you don't even argue, just mock at each other, but if you weren't at least doing this I would really think that you guys have something"

"We are not enemies anymore, but also we are not friends" I said.

"What are you then? Fucking buddies? Friends with benefits?" she was trying to understand jumping to conclusions, of course she was, and my family always act like this.

"Whoa, whoa! Stop it! There's nothing between us! I don't even get why you insist to romanticize our non-existent relationship of constant fighting and bickering at each other" I just want to get back to my book, how can I explain something to someone else that I don't even understand very well.

"Isn't it obvious?" she was looking like if I was stupid "You are clever, Rose, for Merlin's beard!" excuse me? "Look at your parents, they fight all the time, my dad already told us about my grandparents Potter, they used to be the same at Hogwarts, and then there's you and Malfoy" she seemed to be talking to a child that can't understand the simplest things.

"Lily, you are forgetting that my parents and your grandparents love each other" but I don't know why my heart was beating fast in my chest "and Malfoy and I, we hate each other, we despise each other"

"Love, hate, all the same" I know Lily, she's not going to give up on her theory "Seems like every generation has this kind of couple: constantly fighting during the first years of school but by the end they notice that actually they love each other, in our generation that's you and Malfoy"

"Lils, you are mental" I got up, I couldn't take it anymore.

"I am not mental Rose, I am just able to see what you can't!" she was looking exasperated "It's already happening, so be ready"

"What?" but I just watched Lily leaving the library without looking back to me.

Merlin and I thought it couldn't get worse. It did. My karma is so all over me that it got worse.

On saturday morning, Fred and James invited me to practice Quidditch with them, not only to keep our training while the Inter-House Quidditch Cup doesn't start in Hogwarts, but also to cheer them up after what happened one week ago with the girls.

"Are you serious?" I asked when they told me about still being upset "It's been a week"

"Thank you for reminding me, Rose" Fred said, his face getting pale as we were walking to the Quidditch pitch.

"We have feelings, Rose" James said, his broom over his shoulder.

"I know, but you guys are acting so differently, you are not the James or the Fred I used to know" I tried to be honest without being rude.

"You are acting differently as well" James said.

"Yeah, what is going on between you and Malfoy" Fred asked.

"What do you mean?" I replied defensively.

"You don't argue anymore" Fred said like if it's something obvious.

"Are you missing our fights?" I taunted him, why is everybody saying that?

"No, but it meant that you were being the Rose and the Malfoy we used to know, now that you are not acting like yourselves I don't know what to expect, and also I don't know if it's good or not" as we arrived at the pitch, Fred put his gloves, still looking at me.

"Merlin, my family is so dramatic" I rolled my eyes "Look, I said something not very nice to Malfoy even for our arguments' parameter, and I apologised" I glanced to James "I think we are growing up and fighting doesn't fit to being mature"

My cousins were looking weirdly to me, like if not believing I was saying those words.

"For someone that used to be stubborn as uncle Ron you really look 'mature'" he emphasized the last word with a sarcastic tone "But fine then, kiddo" Fred dropped it, getting his broom and flying to the three hooped goals posts to warm up. That's why I probably have a better relationship with males, they simply don't further analyze or keep pushing a certain personal subject like most girls that I know do. For example, the girls from my dormitory. They are nice but Ella is the one that I really befriended.

"Did you apologise to Harper?" I asked James.

"Hmm... No" he had a sad expression.

"JAMES" I scolded him "We had a deal, I accomplished my part" I put a hand on his shoulder "You're a Gryffindor, for Merlin's beard!"

"I know, but I tried, ask Fred! She doesn't even look to me, she just ignores my presence" he murmured with hurtful eyes.

"It's Harper, you prick, she will never make it easy for you, mainly after you were so rude" I said like if it's an obvious statement "James" I tried to be gentler "Give Harper her time, and then try again, just don't give up"

"Yeah, you're probably right" he messed his hair in frustration.

"I always am, when are you going to realise it?" I punched his arm playfully "Oh, are you and Fred gonna put your names in the Goblet of Fire?" I was asking it to all of my seventh year friends and family.

"Of course! I would never miss the eternal glory!" he mocked, winking to me and then getting on his broom, flying where Fred was waiting for us.

If I were another girl not related to James probably I would have fainted after he winked to me, apparently that's the effect of his charms on girls, just like Louis is learning to do. But he is my cousin, a very annoying and loud one, so it simply has no effect on me. Never. Ever.

Because seriously, some really random girls come to me and my female cousins and ask such weird questions like 'How can you not fall for James? He is so fit' or 'Fred is kind of cute' and 'Louis, hmm, so charming, how do you manage to be so close to him and not want to rip his clothes off?'. Disgusting! When we say that we are cousins and we don't see them none other than family those girls say 'There's no problem being cousins, for them I would not even remember we are related by blood'. Disgusting again. They are my cousins and they are most of the time so annoying. We then laugh at their foolishness.

Albus apparently didn't take too much attention to what the rest of the family was speculating about: Malfoy and I. Dom said that or he was in denial that something could have changed between us or he was just the usual unaware Al that we know. Or both, Molly said as well. Also, it's Albus, and we can expect everything from him, Lucy pointed out very cleverly. This girl... There's nothing else I can say about her. She's just impressive.

* * *

Sunday finally arrived and I was already exhausted, Albus and I have been studying at the library for the last hours. Or trying to. I was studying and Albus was trying to not get distracted about everything around us.

"Seriously, it's sunday evening, first week of classes, and we already have loads of studying to do" Al was looking to the window that was providing light to our table, a beautiful landscape of the Black Lake meeting the horizon "We are sixteen! We should be outside, playing quidditch, swimming in the lake, hanging by the trees of the Forbidden Forest, having tea with Hagrid, but no..."

"Al, get over it, or next year you will get mental!" I warned him, searching for another book in the pile we got from the shelves.

"It gets worse, Albie" a voice approached us, not annoying when talking to Albus "Weasel, you should get him entertained, he is a pain in the ass when he's bored of studying" Malfoy said, taking a seat beside Al with a few books in his arms. I tried not to look how his muscles were flexed, but is not my fault Malfoy was wearing a white shirt. Again.

"Yeah right, you can take him, ferret" I said, giggling at Al's expression of hurt.

"I'm already dealing with another big head, so no" Malfoy said, yawning and putting his feet over the table. Such a lazy.

"Hey, you have no manners, Malfoy!" I scolded him, but laughed when I saw what had happened.

"That's my parchment, thanks mate" Al looked pissed, making me giggle even harder and Malfoy just look teasingly to his best mate.

"Could you please stop conspiring against me? Merlin, you were supposed to be my best mates" Albus rolled his eyes, his boredom taking over his temper.

"Just chill out, Al" I said to him, patting his hand before getting back to my Potion's essay.

"Chill out? How can I after being kept in the library for hours?" Al was about to collapse, I'm sure "Let's play Quidditch?" he was begging to Malfoy.

"Seriously, Albus?" I just looked to him, he never begs, that git.

"Sorry mate, but as I said I'm dealing with another big head that is not you" Malfoy said, standing up and getting his books "I'm helping Matteo with Defence Against the Dark Arts, he's horrible with spells"

"Said the one that is not top of the class" I teased him, not being able to restrain my big mouth.

"This year I will be top of the class" Malfoy said, winking to me before leaving Albus and I rather shocked.

"What was that?" Al asked me.

"What?" I looked to him, his wide eyes reminding me of Lysander, who was helping Ella with Divination at the table behind us. I couldn't help myself and giggle sometimes at his dreamy tone when talking about whatever people learn at Divination. It's rubbish to me. Ella would literally kick my arse when she heard my giggling.

"Did Scorpius just winked at you?" Al was rather surprised.

"No, he probably has some sort of problem, like I've always said" I tried to ignore what had happened.

"It's one of his flirting moves" Albus' voice was indignant "He can't use it with my female cousins, I already forbid him years ago"

"What are you saying, Al?" I asked, trying not to think about Malfoy's wink. Seriously, there could be anything between us less flirting "If he winked to me it probably meant 'you're disgusting as ever', so drop it"

"I just can't, everybody has come to me asking me what I think about the fact that you guys don't fight anymore like you guys used to" he had a frustrated expression.

"People are ridiculous, just ignore them, Al, you've seen right now, nothing between Malfoy and I has changed. I thought you would be happy that we are not trying to kill each other though" I finished my essay, finally. Now I have to deal with my messed favourite cousin and the gossip around the castle.

"I am, finally I can seat at least five minutes with both of you and not have to deal with both of you yelling at each other, but I just don't like what people have been talking..." Al was now looking at my face, analyzing me.

"What kind of bullshit people have been telling you?" I asked a little tired after having to explain myself to my family members. Seriously, it's my life, can't I make my decisions without being judged by everyone I know?

"That stop fighting is the first step to getting involved, besides the fact that people think that you and Scorpius always had a sexual tension..." Albus seemed like if he was about to vomit. Merlin, help me.

"Al, drop it, alright? Seriously, people should take care of their own business, not mine!" I said defensively.

"We can't help it, you and Scorpius are very entertaining" a voice murmured in my right ear and I almost jumped off my feet scared.

Ella was laughing pretty hard after what Lysander said and my reaction. I even started laughing as well after seeing the Scamander getting back to his parchment like if nothing had happened. Such a weirdo. Ella scolded me with her eyes, like if she knew that I was kind of insulting Lysander. Is she his mother now? She should be my best friend!

"Indeed" Al agreed, laughing at what he just had heard "I just don't want you to get hurt, actually I just don't want you and Scorpius to get involved in anyway, colleagues, alright, nothing more nothing less"

"Why are you saying this, Al?" I asked him a bit confused.

"Because I know Scorpius is a great bloke, and if you guys just weren't so unbearable to each other maybe you could indeed get involved" Al said, looking serious to me. I felt tense under his fierce gaze.

"They have a lot in common, actually" Ella whispered, hanging over her table to make it audible for Albus and I.

"There's no privacy in this castle anymore" I teased her, earning a playful scowl for her.

"What I'm saying is that Scorpius just doesn't date" Albus said to me very slowly, like if I was a child and had difficulty to understand his words.

"Neither do I, what's the deal?" Al' eyes got wide, probably what I said came out wrongly "Not like this, Al, I'm not implying that I wouldn't mind to have something with Malfoy, Merlin, never" I said it to myself, trying not to remember how we almost snogged at the party last week. Luckily neither Malfoy nor I talked about it; it was just like nothing had happened.

"What I'm saying is that you don't need to worry about me getting hurt by any boy, I don't date as well" I said slowly this time as well "And please don't let people mess with you beautiful big head" I teased him, elbowing his rib cage "It's me and Malfoy, we are not trying to kill each other but we have to be colleagues, for you, for the success of our school projects, and also for our maturing process, I told this year I would be a different Rose" I finished, standing up to put the books back to their places on the shelves.

"Alright, sorry for bothering you, I'm not even going to talk about it with Scorp because he will get mad like you" Albus was looking relieved "You're right, not only you and him is impossible as it also would never end up well" he beamed to me.

"Just don't change too much, please. I love you the stubborn, self-centered, know-it-all, bossy and with a bad temper way you are" he kissed my forehead gently, helping me with the books. I beamed to him as well, embracing my cousins tightly. I tried not to think that in fact Malfoy and I would never work, I just don't know why it bothered me so much to know that.

* * *

"FINALLY FEAST TIME!" James yelled happily, drawing attention from the foreigners seated in all the four tables. McGonagall thought that would be nice if they could seat wherever they wanted to, as a way to help us befriend them since the main goal of the Tournament was to foremost make friends.

"Merlin, control yourself, James" Roxy tried not to giggle at his lack of manners.

"I'M HUNGRY" he yelled back, earning an annoyed glance from the Headmistress, but he didn't even notice, because James is a git.

"You are annoyingly loud" Dom said, covering her ears.

My stomach made a really loud noise, making all the students around me laugh.

"Typical Rosie" Ella said in denial, like if she still hadn't got used to my loud stomach.

"I wonder how she manages to stay this size when she eats more than James and I together" Fred murmured in a thoughtful tone.

I rolled my eyes at his foolishness, I don't eat that much. I eat almost that much. It's different.

"Perhaps Rose has a worm in her belly, mum always wondered about it" my brother remarked tauntingly.

"I wouldn't doubt" Lorcan said, seated beside Lily but not in a couple manner. I think they still weren't dating.

"Actually, Rose probably has loads of worm in her belly" Lily pointed out, trying to have a look of my tummy.

"Hey" I covered my tummy with my arms wrapped around my frame "Could you please stop saying disgusting things about my belly?" I asked exasperated.

"No" Louis said cheerfully, he always has fun watching our cousins taunt me.

"I can't stand all of you, not at the same time" I said in a depressed tone.

"It could be worse, you know, Lucy could be here" Roxy said, pointing to the red head girl seated at the Ravenclaw table with Frank Longbottom.

"I would love if they date" Alice said.

"I would not, Lucy is too young" James scolded Alice.

"You don't even know what Lucy has already done" Dom giggled at the confused look on his face.

"What do you mean?" Fred asked suspiciously.

All of us girls just giggled, mocking them. Lucy had done nothing besides saying very clever things and being too prompt for a twelve year old girl.

"Good evening, students" Headmistress McGonagall said, excitement in her voice "It's with great pleasure that today we'll announce the champions for the Triwizard Tournament"

"Blimey, I had forgotten" Jack said.

"Didn't you put your name?" James asked him.

"No, I forgot" Jack was looking relieved actually.

"Why are you not upset?" Fred was not understanding, how naive.

"Can't you see, not everyone has a big ego to want to achieve the eternal glory" I teased them.

"We have NEWT's, I think I rather just watch" Jack said happily.

"Why are we friends?" Fred taunted him.

"For this announcement, I would like to introduce you to the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Astoria Malfoy" McGonagall applauded when a gorgeous woman entered the Great Hall from behind the professor's table.

She had long and very nicely tied up brown hair, blue eyes and a tall and thin frame, also she walked very elegantly, greeting Teddy tenderly with an embrace and then a courteous nod to the Headmistress.

"Is she who I think she is?" I asked Ella and Dom seated both by my sides.

"Well, I think she is" Dom said, also enchanted by Astoria's elegance.

"Scorpius' mum seems lovely" Lily said.

Malfoy's mother. I had never seen her before, or hadn't noticed. But she seemed to be a nice woman, and also a great role model, an empowered one. She is the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation after all, I need to ask mum what she thinks about Mrs. Malfoy in my next letter.

"Good evening, students from Hogwarts" she greeted us with a nod "Beauxbatons" she nodded to Madam Maxime "and Durmstrang" also nodding to the head of the Institute.

"I would like to thank Headmistress McGonagall for allowing Hogwarts to host such an epic event, although last time we didn't have great memories" she made a silence respected by everybody in the Great Hall, probably in honor of Cedric Diggory.

I glanced to the Slytherin table, trying to find the blonde haired Malfoy. He was looking fiercely to his mum, I couldn't see very well his face but I still notice the proud expression in his features. How much I don't know about him?

"But now it's time to write a new story, and today we will know who will be our champions, please, Headmistress McGonagall" Astoria looked encouragingly to the old lady, like if giving her support to do something she was not so eager to do.

McGonagall walked slowly to the center of the Great Hall, where the tables had been split to have enough space around the Goblet of Fire. Its blue flames were swinging like a dance, slow and mysterious. I could feel my cousins tense, their postures revealing that even James and Fred were serious about wanting to become Triwizard champions. How they had grown up a bit.

Just as the Headmistress approached it, the Goblet blue flames became red and a piece of parchment was falling slowly to her hand.

"The champion of Durmstrang is" she read, a small smile in her face "Stanislav Krum" and a loud cheer was heard from where Stan was seated with his friends at the Ravenclaw table.

"Well, apparently the story is being repeated" Dom said surprised.

"What do you mean?" Louis asked curious.

"Seriously, we need to ask our parents to talk about the Tournament when they were students" Dom remarked "Stan's father, Viktor, was the Durmstrang champion, that's why my mum and his father are friends, they competed together"

That's news.

"Someone please remember to ask our parents during Christmas about the Triwizard Tournament" Hugo asked, looking to our faces like searching for a volunteer to remember us to do it.

"I will, for sure" Fred said indignantly "I still cannot believe they didn't tell us about it"

Again, the blue flames became red and another piece of parchment fell towards McGonagall's hand.

"The champion of Beauxbatons is" she read loud so everybody could listen "Amelie Marchand" the France's seeker stand up to take a place beside Stan around Mrs. Malfoy, being greeted with loud cheers from her friends of Beauxbatons.

"No way" Fred's face got pale "Is it possible for this woman to get any more amazing?" he looked lovingly to her, but when their eyes met Fred almost fainted and got his back to her direction "But I've lost all the chances" he said in a sad and hopeless tone.

James just patted his back trying to comfort him, while I gave him a sympathetic grin.

"The champion of Hogwarts is" McGonagall said as the flames became red and the piece of parchment flew to her hands "Roxanne Weasley"

"WHAT?" James yelled.

Fred couldn't even move, his scared glare fierce at his sister.

Roxy was paralyzed as well, like if she couldn't believe it.

"Yes, love! You are a champion already!" Liam said cheerfully, pushing Roxy to stand up and join the other champions.

As my cousin walked slowly, the Great Hall applauded her loudly, everybody elated with the Goblet's choice.

"And you say it about Amelie, could your sister get any more amazing?" Dom said, still not believing, but applauding Roxy eagerly.

"Seriously? Nana Molly will make much more food to her" I said, applauding my cousin as well.

"Seriously, Rosie?" Ella looked skeptical to me.

"She's the pride of the family" Louis said.

"She can't be everything" Hugo said indignantly.

"At least I am the Quidditch Captain" said James, with a giant beam in his face while looking to Roxy joining Stan and Amelie.

"Such a girl power this Tournament" Lily remarked as we did a high five.

"Great! Now we have our three champions!" Mrs. Malfoy said happily, she couldn't restrain her own emotion "The first task will be by the end of September and the champions can have help from any student or professor" she was beaming but her grin fell "But, to avoid any unpleasant occurrence, any irregularity has to be reported, so I count with everyone in this place to work with us to make the Tournament a huge success"

All the students and professors applauded Mrs. Malfoy again, like if assuring her that the Ministry would have our full support.

"As from this moment, the Triwizard Tournament has officially begun"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, dear readers! I hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I did writing it! Please, let me know what you think! Your feedback is very important to me!

I would like to thank the readers that gave a 'Follow' and 'Favourite' to this story, it means a lot!

Just remembering that you can review with your Fanfiction user or anonymously as a Guest, don't forget it!

I'm gonna keep trying, where are you from, my readers?

Without further ado,

 _Binki_


	9. Lunatics

_**Disclaimer:**_ Yeah, I own nothing. Jo is the truly amazing mind and the only capable one of creating the Wizarding World, I'm just one of her admirers.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Nine – Lunatics**

Being part of the Potter/Weasley family already is tough, we have too many successful relatives to deal with the pressure to be as amazing as they are in whatever we intend to become as adults. Actually, even as students we have to deal with their high standards, Head Boys and Girls, Quidditch Captains, Triwizard champions. But I guess that for Albus, James, Lily, Hugo and I it may be worse. We are the children or godchildren of Harry and Ginny Potter and Hermione and Ron Weasley after all.

Nonetheless, I'm glad that I am not Roxanne Johnson-Weasley right now. Us, all of her relatives and friends, were waiting for her in the Gryffindor Common Room, even our cousins from other Houses were here, like Al from Slytherin, Molly from Hufflepuff, and Lucy from Ravenclaw.

I mean, Roxy is brilliant and is a brave and independent girl. She is Head Girl and would be the Quidditch Captain if she hadn't passed it to James in Sixth Year. Now, Roxy also is a Triwizard Champion, like uncle Harry and aunt Fleur. I bet they are both delighted to have their niece as the current champion and representing the family. Or not, because I guess that my uncle and aunt don't have the best memories about the Tournament.

"What is taking her so long?" Liam asked, looking distressed. Lily and I exchanged the same glance as his, everybody was worried with Roxy.

"I know right, I got pretty excited for her, but now, it's another pressure to win this shit" James said, surprisingly speechless since we had been dismissed of the Great Hall.

"I don't understand why maman kept a secret about it..." Louis was not in his best mood, he is very close to aunt Fleur and probably is very upset that his irritating cousin Genevieve knew about her being a Triwizard champion before him, her son.

"We'll discover really soon..." Dom murmured, handing a piece of parchment to me, which was brought by James' owl Padfoot as soon as we arrived at the Common Room.

I read it quickly through my aunt's letter, her handwriting is beautiful.

"They are coming" I simply said, handing the letter to Albus who was seated by my side.

That's one of our tradition, not only to be sitting all of us together in our favourite spot in the Gryffindor Common Room, but also when one of our parents send a letter to us we hand to each other until all of us read it.

"Who?" Fred asked curious.

"My father" said Albus, handing aunt Fleur's letter to Fred.

"And maman" said Dom, closing her eyes and leaning her head on my leg since she was seated on the floor and I was on the couch.

"Well, what a lovely family gathering" Ella said by my side, trying to lighten up the room.

Al beamed at her, earning a playful slap from me.

"I think I may throw up" Hugo whispered to Louis, he was looking rather green indeed.

"Be brave, Hugo, you're not the one chosen by that bloody Goblet" Lily scolded my brother.

"I just hate feeling anxious, Roxy is not coming back" he looked to me for some support. I just rolled my eyes at his manners, seriously?

"It just proves how the women of this family are much tougher than the men" Roxy's voice came from the hole of the portrait.

Many students praised her with hugs and pats on her back and Roxy gracefully thanked them for their great wishes. How she manages to be so perfect? I would have told them to fuck off probably.

I never claimed to be nice and a lady after all.

"LOOK THE CHAMPION IS COMING" James yelled.

Roxy rolled her eyes but had a funny beam on her beautiful face.

"You are so loud" she said, seating on Liam's lap beside the fireplace.

All of us were looking expectantly to her. Again I would tell everybody to fuck off, but Roxy is just too nice.

"What? Why all of you are looking like Lysander with those wide eyes?" she asked us with a mischievous grin.

"Stop teasing us, sis" Fred complained. Even I agreed to him, I was so curious.

"Actually, I'm really tired" she kissed Liam's forehead "Let's go, babe?" Roxy got up, stretching her body.

"Roxy don't you dare" Lily threatened her.

"Let's go where, excuse me little girl?" Fred asked suspiciously.

"Little girl?" Roxy was not being serious, right?

"I am two minutes older, so yes, answer me" Fred demanded, oh no, no family fights, please.

I shrugged with exhaustion, leaning my head in Albus' shoulder. He groaned like if predicting an annoying fight between the twins. They don't usually fight, but when they do, no one wants to be between them.

"You are pathetic, Freddie" Dom rolled her eyes "She is tired of us but is eager to shag her long term boyfriend in the Heads dormitories, what's the deal?" she mocked him, of course she did, Dom never loses an opportunity.

"WHAT?" Fred and James yelled, looking threatening to Liam who was trying to hide his grin. Mischievous boy, this one. But he is allowed to be because he is bloody fit.

"Don't be such prudes, you both, it's pathetic?" Lily said, she was looking pissed, just like aunt Ginny. We always get scared when she is looking like this.

"I don't want to know about you Lils" James said covering his ears.

"So mature, you two" I rolled my eyes looking to my cousins James and Fred.

"Ok, Roxy, please, dear cousin, we want to know about this bloody tournament!" Dom tried to hide her sarcasm, but all of us know her too well.

"Just if you ask nicely" Roxy arched one of her eyebrows tauntingly.

"Sod off" Dom said playfully, not hiding her giggle.

"I cannot say anything to you guys, not yet" she had a serious tone now, even James and Fred were listening silently.

"WHAT?" Hugo was pale, curiosity is one of his weak spots. Poor kid.

"Not yet because tomorrow, as you probably know" she showed us the letter that aunt Fleur sent "Aunt Fleur and uncle Harry will be here and then we can talk about the Triwizard Tournament" Roxy had almost an unapologetically expression, we never keep huge secrets among us.

"Fine" Louis got up "I'm done with secrets"

"But where are we going to meet them?" Albus asked Roxy.

"Yeah, aunt Fleur didn't say anything about it" Lily pointed out.

"Headmistress McGonagall's office, after dinner, see you there" Roxy simply said, taking Liam by her hand and walking toward the portrait.

"She is no fun, uh?" Hugo was shaking his head, almost in denial.

"At least she doesn't piss you off as you sister does to me, come on Weasley" Malfoy said in his usual teasing tone "We have patrol tonight" he stretched his body. I think he shouldn't have done it.

I noticed how not only Dom but also other girls were eyeing him doing it. I mean, doesn't he notice the effect he has on girls? Probably he does it on purpose just to flatter his big ego.

I rolled my eyes in irritation, just when we are not killing each other anymore he needs to do something that make me annoyed to him. Typical Malfoy.

"Stop doing it" I said annoyed, bumping our shoulders as I passed through him toward the portrait of the Fat Lady.

"Behave, Rosie" Ella said giggling.

"Be nice" Albus joined her.

Of course he did, he has no personality.

I rolled my eyes at their friendly exchange, they annoy me even more getting together to piss me off. I already have to deal with Malfoy.

I heard his footsteps following me and I didn't slow my pace so he could join me. I already have so much in my mind that I don't even know how to express myself.

"Why are you mad?" Malfoy asked. Surprisingly his tone was not taunting. What?

I turned my head so I could look at him over my shoulder.

"Why do you suppose that I am mad?" I replied challenging him.

"Why do you suppose that I wouldn't know?" he retorted. Of course he did. That's what he does, he answers my questions with other questions. Malfoy is such a prat.

"You barely know me, Malfoy" I replied, my irritation clear in my voice.

"Indeed, but I know very well how to get under your skin in the most annoying way" he said with that arrogant tone that really makes me shiver of anger.

"Sod off" I rolled my eyes.

"I thought we were past this kind of behaviour, Weasley" he scolded me in a sarcastic tone. Merlin, help me.

"Yeah, me too, but you have to screw up" I scowled at his annoying behaviour.

"What did I do? You are mental, Weasley" he is pissed off now. And I'm tired, so again mature Rose will take over my huge mouth.

"Sorry, I'm just..."

"Being a bitch" he retorted sarcastically "But I accept you apology" Malfoy mocked me.

"I take back what I said actually" I rolled my eyes while trying to restrain myself from punching his face.

"Of course you do, your ego is just too big for being humble" he said, we were not just teasing anymore, we were back to almost killing each other.

"And your ego is giant that you can't even accept my apology without mocking me for being nice" I replied.

"You're mental" he said again "What did I do?" apparently Malfoy was desperate to know it.

I would not make it easy for him. Never.

"You were being you" I simply whispered as we entered a desert corridor.

"That's a very clever sentence coming from you, Weasley" he said sarcastically, taunting me, again. Merlin's balls.

"You were showing off, seriously, no one wants to see your abs when you stretch, you could be more discreet" I said in a serious tone, although I know that I am lying to myself. I love toned abs.

"You are pathetic" he said, but his grey eyes weren't hard like when we are fighting, his beam was comical.

"Don't mock me, you prat" I warned him, my stress getting the best of me.

"So just admit that you were enjoying the view" he said with a mischievous grin.

"You are so annoying, how Albus can stand you?" actually I was asking myself.

"The same way he stands you" Malfoy replied.

"What is that supposed to mean?" I asked suspiciously, he never says something without a purpose.

"I thought you were a genius" he was shaking his arrogant blonde head like if denying his own thoughts "And you called me 'genious', seriously?" he mocked my nickname to him.

"Spit it out, genious" I taunted him.

"You and I" he said in a low voice, just as we stopped walking "We have the same bloody personality" Malfoy whispered while getting closer to me, his eyes were piercing mine.

Grey and blue. His grey eyes were dragging me toward him in a way that I just couldn't find myself averting my blue eyes from his. It was intoxicating.

"What?" my voice came out in a squeak, I was getting numb with our closeness.

"Stubborn" he whispered with a raspy voice, a shiver went down my spine "Feisty" Malfoy was right in my front now, our bodies closer than what I considered safe "Sarcastic" his arm stretched in front of him, his palm on the wall beside my face.

He had cornered me between his body and the wall, that prat.

"Annoying" I said, I would not let him get under my skin again "Mental" I put my finger on his torso, like to make my point very clear "Self-centred" as I took a step forward our bodies touched. And it felt like electricity was running through our bodies.

"Know-it-all" he whispered and I felt his scent and warm breath.

Malfoy intoxicates me. I was feeling really numb now, like if my mind was clouded with our closeness.

"Selfish" I said.

But I just don't know why our closeness was affecting me so much. It was really frustrating.

"Clumsy" Malfoy was smirking to me in a mischievous way.

"Temperamental" I murmured, trying to decipher his sudden smirk to me.

"Bossy" his expression was his typical arrogant one now.

The bastard is talking about me now. Malfoy is a prat, have I ever said that?

If that's how he is going to play then I'm in.

"Arrogant" I said accusingly.

And before I could restrain myself I was spitting in his face everything I think about him because he was making me crazy.

"Prat"

I took a step forward, making him go backwards.

"Genious" I mocked him, he is no genius after all.

Apparently he was having fun after me because his smirk was getting wider.

"Narcissist" I scowled remembering how he stretched really slowly so every girl in the Common Room could analyse his body... Like I was doing. Merlin, I'm pathetic. And I think I just say it too much.

"Whoa, what?" he genuinely laugh when I insulted him, well, he should feel insulted at least "I thought you were enjoying checking out my abs while I was stretching my body, Weasley" Malfoy mocked me, of course.

"Don't flatter yourself" I rolled my eyes.

"And here we are, again" he said in a teasing tone.

I looked at him, noticing how he is much more... Attractive? When he doesn't have a scowl on his features, or an arrogant expression, or his harsh piercing eyes, or his emotionless face.

"Why do we always seem to get back here?" I asked him, enjoying this playful side of Malfoy.

"I've been asking myself since summer actually" he said, still looking me in the eyes, but with a much more serious tone.

"And what conclusion did you find?" I asked challenging him.

I was feeling like we were pushing each other non-stopping. I have no idea where it will take us. And for the first time I am not feeling uneasy for not knowing how things will end up. I am feeling alive, like I haven't for a long time.

Ironically it shouldn't be Malfoy to make me feel that way. Aunt Ginny always said that uncle Harry makes her feel this way, aunt Fleur agreed about uncle Bill, aunt Audrey about uncle Percy, my mother about Crookshanks. Actually my mum feels alive with my father, even though they argue all the time for everything and anywhere.

Just like Malfoy and me. I realised. Merlin.

"That we need to find a way to interrupt our vicious cycle" he said slowly, like if waiting for my reaction.

Vicious cycle? That's a great expression to refer to our troubled... Relationship?

"Well, it would save us a lot of time and less stress" I was trying to figure out how to 'interrupt our vicious cycle' as Malfoy had said, it doesn't seem to be so simple though.

"Hmm" he muttered, looking not to my eyes anymore. I missed his grey eyes on mine already, we have been fighting for so long and just recently I noticed how his eyes are very... Deep.

But wait, where is he looking at? I followed his gaze and noticed that he was looking to something at my face, of course, I always find a way to embarrass myself.

I also noticed that I was biting my lips a little too hard, I always do it when I am in deep thought or nervous, right now I think that I am feeling both ways.

"There's something at my face, right? What's wrong with you that you're not mocking me for that?" I asked feeling humorous, not used to this atypical behaviour of his.

"What?" his voice was squeaky and his eyes came back quickly to meet mine, his cheeks crimson like if he had been caught off guard or... Caught in the act of doing something he shouldn't be doing.

Merlin! Malfoy had been staring at my mouth this whole time? It couldn't be.

I couldn't restrain my laugh at seeing him this way, so spontaneous and careless, not the usual emotionless. What had happened to us? It even doesn't seem real. I found myself in such a pathetic position that I couldn't stop myself from laughing. Self-deprecation is an art that I master and I'm very proud of it.

But before I could say something to him urgent lips crashed against mine with such warmth and desperation that I got breathless. Malfoy was snogging me, of all people we could... I mean, what the bloody hell? I froze, feeling numb by the surprise of being snogged like this. It's been so long since I had a proper snog, I'm feeling like a hormonal teenager.

His mouth stopped moving when I didn't kissed him back and just as he was pulling away from me I caught his shirt with both my hands and turned us around so he had his back on the wall. Merlin, I think I slammed him too hard, but Malfoy apparently didn't mind, on the contrary. His mouth was moving with even more will against mine, like if he wanted something more from me and couldn't find it.

Malfoy moved his hands from his sides to my waist, but instead of a harsh touch like his mouth against mine, he seemed to be hesitating where to touch me, like if waiting for me to guide his actions. Malfoy letting me guide his actions. Malfoy hesitating not to touch me but wondering where I want to be touched. Merlin, what's going on?

I sucked hard on his lower lip, enjoying the desperate rhythm of our mouths. Enjoying feeling breathless. Enjoying feeling alive. I've been waiting for this feeling for months and, again, how ironical is that my worst enemy is making me feel this way? 'Don't overthink, Rose', people keep telling me. And for the first time I really am not.

My hands travelled from his strong arms to his toned back, feeling the warmth of his skin, his pulse under my fingertips, his breath and scent intoxicating me. Finally I found myself touching his soft blond platinum hair, messing it with both my hands, pulling it a little too hard. He answered my touch by holding me tightly to his body with his right arm while his left hand pulled my long ginger hair so he could move his lips to my neck.

Malfoy turned us around so I had my back against the wall, using this new support to deep our snog even more, if that could even be possible. Before I could restrain myself I moaned when his tongue licked the spot on my neck where my pulse was pumping fast. Merlin, nobody had ever snogged with so much desperation and need.

Apparently expressing vocally my pleasure had a huge effect on him because with our bodies so close I felt a bulge growing in his pants. Instinctively I pressed myself even more against his body, eager to feel him against me. A growl escaped from his lips and I felt an intense shiver down my spine. Our bodies react so fast to each other that it amazes me or embarrasses me. Amazes me because it's Malfoy, again; I am really trying not to think that I am in a very deep and intense snogging session with him. Embarrasses me because I just have no control over my body, my reactions come out spontaneously and it could report me even when I don't want to show how needy or turn on I'm feeling with his touching to my body and his breathtaking snogging.

' _When you said that you would not fight with him like you used to I was not expecting you to snog him either'_ my consciousness seemed to make a note to myself. Blimey!

"Malfoy" I whispered, putting my hands on his torso and pushing him slightly so he could listen to me.

"Hm?" he muttered against my neck, arms still around me.

"What are we doing?" dumb question, I told to myself.

"It's called snogging" he mocked me, but his tone wasn't harsh, just teasing. Of course, some things just don't change.

I rolled my eyes at his foolishness, making him giggle like a naughty little boy. I never thought I would use these words to describe Scorpius Malfoy, the greatest prat in Hogwarts.

"Right, it's called interrupting our vicious cycle" he said in a raspy voice.

Merlin, my legs almost melted beneath me.

I looked into his grey eyes again, trying to find some hint about his actions. Suddenly his walls were up again, an emotionless feature, like if he was taking a defensive mode.

I don't like emotionless Malfoy. I rather careless Malfoy, or teasing Malfoy, or even angry Malfoy. But emotionless? I just can't deal with indifference.

Even from him.

"What a naughty conclusion you came up with, uh?" I tried to tease him to lighten up his mood. Rose Granger-Weasley trying to lighten up Malfoy's mood?

I couldn't even believe myself, seriously. How can we go from yelling and insulting each other to being playful and then snogging? I really think we are mental.

"We are mental" Malfoy whispered with a short giggle.

I laughed even more when noticed that we had the same thought. Perhaps we really are the same person, or not as different as we supposed we were. Living in denial is so stressful.

"What makes you believe that snogging is how we can interrupt the vicious cycle that we are?" I asked him sincerely, I need answers, I need to understand. It could me the lamest justification, I just need to justify to myself.

"You ask a lot of questions" he shrugged uncomfortably, taking a step back.

Whoa, I was not expecting losing contact, what does that mean?

"You don't answer my questions" I retorted a little pissed off.

"Why do you need answers?" he replied, also irritated.

Oh Merlin, not again, please. Why always when we get near each other I can read 'disaster' on his forehead? Oh yeah, because together we are a disaster.

"Because that's how I am, and you know it" I said, my head already in pain.

We are going to fight.

"I don't know anything about besides that you are bloody bossy" he retorted angry "And annoying"

"Why did you snog me then?" I challenged him, my voice getting higher with anger.

Malfoy rolled his eyes, I hate when he does it.

"Aren't you clever enough to..." he was saying, actually, throwing insults at me like he always does when we are fighting, when Teddy arrived with a confused face.

"Whoa!" he said with a funny grin "There's so much sexual tension here that I am feeling like a teenager again" Teddy's hair changed from his electric blue to platinum blonde and my ginger shade, not the orange tone of Molly and Lucy but also not Lily's red tone.

"Not funny, Teddy" I scolded him, but feeling less stressed than I was. Teddy always find a way to break the tension, he is adorable and I just get really excited for him and Vic because then he will be part of the family, officially.

"Why your robes are so creased, Scorp, and you hair is a mess, Rosie?" Teddy asked with a mischievous grin.

Oh, fine! That's all I needed. Teddy won't leave me alone ever again for snogging Malfoy during our prefect duties.

I won't ever forgive myself for being so irresponsible, I guess. I'm so confused trying to be someone that I am not, how can I be careless and not overthink about each step I take if I have always been like this?

"We were fighting" Malfoy said nonchalantly, emotionless features and a convincing tone. He lies so well. I have to remember about this huge detail.

Why I don't know, my instincts are just saying that he is no good. Like if I haven't always known that.

"Of course you were" Teddy said in a funny tone.

I hate when people make fun of me. I am not funny. I'm a prefect, I end with people's funny moments like snogging senseless in the broom closet. Just imagining Malfoy and I making out in a broom closet I felt a shiver down my spine again and I can feel my ears turning red, just like dad.

I can't stand this anymore, I don't even glance to Malfoy, embrace Teddy very quickly and make my way back to the Gryffindor Tower. My cousin is the Head Girl, I can deal with my unfinished duties later.

Just as I got out of the corridor I heard Malfoy and Teddy small talk.

"She's mental" Malfoy said, astonishment clear in his voice.

"I used to think about Vic this way as well" Teddy said with his voice full of nostalgia "We ended up snogging in this corridor"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Here it is, chapter nine! I hope you like it, folks! Please let me know what you think, I'll be waiting for your review!

Also, this fanfic is Rated T, and I think that since adolescents are the main characters here, physical interaction is very important and I'll write it detailed. Just to let you know, those who don't like these details you can skip these parts, it doesn't make much difference for you.

Happy Holidays everyone,

 _Binki_


	10. Monday haters

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, the Wizarding World is JK Rowling's property, she is awesome.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Ten – Monday haters**

What can I say? I just can't deal with the common sense that we have to wake up before 10 am. Who imposed that we have to be up so early to work, to study or to be healthy? I am healthy and I eat like a hunger teenage boy and wake up around midday at the weekend and holidays. Also, I don't drink water as much as I should nor eat vegetables as much as people tell me to do. I mean, seriously? I hope society and its rules blow up to pieces.

Because I just cannot accept the fact that not only it's Monday as I also have to wake up so early in the morning while my bed is so warm and comfortable

"Merlin, Rose Weasley" I could hear Ella's annoyed voice trying to wake me up "I've been awake for two hours now practicing my Yoga and meditation" I heard her footsteps coming near me "You should try to join me, you would be less perfectionist, less stressed, less bossy, a less overanalyzing person and maybe less lazy"

"I just want to sleep" I put my pillow over my head, not opening my eyes to look at my best friend.

"It's time to wake up, Rosie!" Ella said in a gentle voice.

"No" I muttered, my voice sounding muffled.

"Yes" my best friend tried again "You have to wake up or we'll be late" her voice still gentle.

Ella never loses her temper due to her Yoga and meditation morning sessions, she is so peaceful that people never understands how we can be best friends while being polar opposites with our temper.

I say we fulfil each other with our differences, that's why we never fight but manage to deal with whatever we have to together.

"I take mum's Time-Turner then" I said.

"No, the Ministry destroyed all the Time-Turners, you don't fool me with your cleverness, Rosie" Ella retorted my attempt to sleep a little more.

"Merlin" I was almost crying of frustration "I'm just claiming for mercy"

"You chose the wrong person then" Ella said, I could hear her going to the toilet then back to our bedroom "Queen Cersei here has no mercy" she giggled with her own joke.

Let me explain. Ella is a muggle-born. She watches those series that muggles are all addicted to, like these one she referred to, Game of Bones, I think. I cannot think straight while I am sleepy. I'm pretty sure I got the name wrong.

"And no, for the twentieth time, it's not Game of Bones, it's Game of Thrones" Ella could read my mind, I'm sure.

I just didn't answer her. That's another one of my tricks, trying to pretend that I got back to sleep to Ella let me sleep in peace.

"I know you are pretending to be asleep so I let you sleep more, Rosie" Ella sang like not believing I'm playing this old card. Again.

I think this technique is overused, I need a new one.

Why not to keep pretending?

I can do it, I'm really great at getting back to sleep.

"You are hurting my feelings ignoring me, I'm just being a good best friend" Ella said in a fake tone of sadness "And you know it"

Damn it. She knows that at the bottom my heart is kind and that I don't know how to manage emotional blackmail.

"Fine" I said, taking the pillow off of my head to look at her eyes "Just five more minutes, hippie" I didn't ask, I notified her.

"Thank you Merlin for giving me the power of persuasion" Ella said happily, finally getting to the toilet to take her morning shower.

I don't like to take showers during mornings but if I don't do it I just cannot survive the first hours of class, and I need to so I can keep my position at the top and beat Malfoy like I always do.

Malfoy.

Why did I have to bring him to my thoughts?

It's Monday already, can I not wake up peacefully?

I just don't know yet if I want to see him after what happened yesterday.

I'm torn apart between wanting to see him and how he acts around me and wanting to avoid him the whole week so I don't have to deal with his emotionless face or sarcastic and harsh comments.

He has no mercy as well.

Ella says he remembers Joffrey to her, apparently an arrogant, spoiled and evil teenager from her beloved Game of Bones. Or Thrones. Or whatever it is. But not for the evil part, Ella actually likes Malfoy, she likes everybody and she is one of the few students that don't mock with Lysander behind his back. Or Lorcan's back.

Anyway.

I'm also tired of trying to be careless after what happened. What did I have in mind to let myself be snogged by Malfoy? Merlin, don't I have self-control? Self-respect? He will probably piss me off until I say that I was the one who snogged him just to humiliate me and flatter his big ego. His giant blonde arrogant great kisser ego. Merlin, great kisser? No, no, no!

I cannot let him take control over me like this. I need to be rational and responsible and focused.

' _Or to chill out and let us sleep, silly'_ oh no, consciousness again. Better get back to my short sleep.

* * *

First class of Monday. Potions. Slytherin.

My partner? Malfoy.

I was trying not to think bad things about Professor Finnigan, he is a family friend after all. But seriously? Of all people in that classroom, Malfoy had to be my partner?

"Morning, Weasel" a raspy voice came from my side, taking his seat.

Awkward, I was not expecting this.

"Morning" I managed to say, I had a strange feeling that something was just not right.

With Malfoy I could never feel comfortable and peaceful for too long. He is like a storm with his grey eyes and fierce personality.

He's mental, actually.

But so am I.

"Alright, today we are going to work with two potions, very useful for some, very dangerous to others" Professor Finnigan said in front of the class "Can anyone of you guess which one are they?" he asked, looking expectantly to the table where Malfoy and I are seated. Together. Because he had to pair us.

My hand was in the air before I could restrain myself. I've been so used to answering the questions that every professor did during classes that getting my hand on the air as fast as I can became a robotic act, I don't even have to think to do it.

"Yes, Miss Weasley?" Professor Finnigan beamed at me and Malfoy, as I noticed he had raised up his hand as well but I had been faster than him. He's always second, I thought he had already got used to it.

I stand up and walked until the front of the class, the two potions on the professor's desk. I could feel my classmates not surprised faces, Dom's curious one, Ella's peaceful expression, and Albus' 'you're such a know-it-all' look. I had to restrain myself to not stick my tongue to him, my cousin is so bloody annoying. I still love him though.

And aunt Fleur scolding my cousins and I for our bad behaviour and lack of manners came into my mind before I could act like a child again.

"This clear and" I approached my nose to the flask without lid "odourless potion that looks like water is Veritaserum," I could hear the other students exclamation of surprise "a very powerful truth serum that effectively forces the drinker to answer any questions and spill out his innermost secrets"

I heard a sonorous 'whoa' of excitement around me, poor classmates, they don't know apparently...

"Nonetheless, the use of this potion is strictly controlled by the Ministry of Magic" I kept my explanation, and could hear a few disappointing claims "Veritaserum has a very advanced difficulty level and requires one lunar phase, about 28 days of brewing time" and now very disappointed claims.

Seriously, such a powerful serum, they thought that it would be easy to brew it?

"Also" I was still talking, perhaps I say more than I should but no professor had ever complained about it, I think that my 'know-it-all' nature saves their time and saliva "despite being the most powerful truth serum, it can still be resisted through methods like its antidote and Occlumency" now I noticed my classmates surprised expressions, everyone believed in Veritaserum as being a doubtless method of reaching the truth apparently "Therefore, Veritaserum may be unreliable, since due to the drinker's sanity and perception of reality, his answers are sincere but not necessarily true" I finally finished.

"Excellent, Miss Weasley, 15 points to Gryffindor for sharing your wide knowledge with your classmates" Professor Finnigan beamed to me while I walked back to my seat beside a grumpy Malfoy. The same guy that when noticed my eyes over him traded his expression to an emotionless one.

I hate when he does it, when his walls build up and I can't even know what he is thinking or feeling.

Actually I know that I shouldn't care, but he really pissed me off acting like this.

"Now, Mr Malfoy, since you were the second to raise your hand, what is the other potion?" Professor Finnigan asked him already knowing that his second best student would answer without hesitation his question, not ever letting him down.

Malfoy walked to the front of the class just like I did, and I could not help but notice the other girls, including Dom, less Ella, staring at him. He is such a boring person, draws so much attention...

Well, I'm feeling stupid right now because my family draws even more attention than Malfoy, so... Yeah, I should stay quiet.

"Amortentia has a mother-of-pearl sheen, a spiralling steam and its scent is multi-faceted and varies based on what the person likes, smelling different to each person according to what attracts them" I noticed that some students got nearer to the potion to try to smell something.

"Also, Amortentia is the most powerful love potion" I heard some squeaky exclamations from girls around me "Nonetheless, it doesn't create actual love since it's impossible to imitated or manufacture love" some students seemed rather disappointed by that "Actually, Amortentia causes a strong infatuation or obsession from the drinker"

Albus apparently is obsessed with my best friend Ella Grace Richards. Did she drop Amortentia in his breakfast? I need to investigate and ask her about what Al told me of them enjoying a muggle party together in Barcelona during summer holidays.

"This potion also has an advanced difficulty level and requires 28 days of brewing time" Malfoy finished, earning impressed smiles from some girls in the class.

Seriously? Why I don't earn this kind of admiration? I'm even more impressive than him. Not that he is impressive. He's just Malfoy after all. Not that I care as well. The last thing I want is other people's admiration, I'm fine not being admired.

"You guys make such a pair! Impressive! 15 points to Slytherin as well!" Professor Finnigan now has a huge grin over his face and a very satisfied expression "I hope all the students paid attention to what Miss Weasley and Mr Malfoy have just said, because that's one of your projects for this year, the pairs are going to do both potions, Amortentia and Veritaserum"

A huge moan of complaint was heard, I on the other hand couldn't be more eager to brew both potions. It couldn't get more amazing than that!

"You can choose the order, the pairs have two months to brew very good potions, the best Amortentia and Veritaserum of the class will have a prize in the end as well" Professor Finnigan exclaimed happily.

Mum said he was terrible in Potions, always exploding cauldron and messing his recipes. Apparently every year he had to go to the Hospital Wing after losing an eyebrow or a side of his hair. How did he become a master of Potions I had no idea.

I noticed how Ella and Al were happily discussing about which potion they would do first. Al loves Potions and is at the top just like Malfoy and I, my father always joked about how uncle Harry's inability was converted to a talent in his son. But apparently just Albus got the lucky to be good at Potions, James hates it and Lily is quite a disaster as well.

Dom and Lorcan were enjoying themselves as well, actually they had grown kind of very good friends since the beginning of the year, I've seen them practising Quidditch together with Jake a few times.

"Earth to Weasel" an annoyed voice brought me back from observing my family and friends.

"What?" I asked him, focusing to his pale face, actually he is not that pale like usual, I guess he had some sunbath during summer.

"We need to choose which one we are going to brew first" he said slowly so I could understand, I'm not retarded, he is!

"What has happened to you?" I asked slowly as well.

"What do you mean, Weasel?" now his expression not only was emotionless as also in a defensive mode, like if he could attack me back anytime.

"Merlin, the Malfoy I know would have imposed which potion he wants to brew first and tell me to sod off if I complained about you being bossy and arrogant" I said as I noticed a short grin in his face, well I'm breaking his walls apparently "Then, we would fight e keep arguing until Professor Finnigan came here to politely tell us to shut up while he thinks that although we are brilliant, together we are a pain in the ass"

I heard a giggle, a genuine, spontaneous and sincere giggle. Coming out from Malfoy's lips. His grey eyes were closed with delight, his hand messing his blonde hair to take it off his face, the sound still coming out from his mouth.

What the bloody hell is going on here?

"Did I say something funny?" although I was impressed that I made him laugh and I enjoy seeing him so carefree, I don't like when people make fun of me. Actually, I hate not to laugh together.

"No" suddenly his emotionless mask was back to his features.

I never understand why he has to be so unpleasant, couldn't he be himself for once? Not caring if he is being careless and spontaneous, but just act like he wanted to be. It must be horrible to always hide behind a mask that not necessarily you want to wear, but you do it anyway because you are retarded or have to keep his Malfoy features.

' _You're such a hypocrite, you act just the same way'_ Merlin, how can I leave myself alone?

Suddenly flashes from yesterday came back to my mind, and I remembered how I interrupted our very good snog session after having responsible and rational thoughts.

I'm so confused, I don't know how to deal with what has been happening to my life.

I feel like a mess, more precisely, like James' bedroom back at his parents' house in Godric's Hollow. It took him two weeks to find his wand after losing it somewhere in his bedroom. Uncle Harry and aunt Ginny refused to help him with magic, saying that he needs to learn to be a more organized person like Albus and Lily, not that they are very much, but compared to James...

* * *

Finally it's dinner time. I had such an exhausting day, firstly getting tense with Malfoy, he's acting so not like him, he calls me Weasel, alright, but he is not fighting, and his walls are even more taller than usual, like if he is trying not to act in a way he wanted to. I've been wondering the whole day if his awkward behaviour has something to do with our snog... Not that I'm being the usual Rose as well, but how can I act like I'm used to around a guy that makes me feel uneasy simply by being the way he is? He's mental, I've been telling myself for years but now I have no doubts anymore. He-is-mental.

Then, after finally deciding that we will do Veritaserum first and then Amortentia – I don't think we are comfortable enough around each other to brew a love potion together, it sounds awful – I had Transfiguration with Ravenclaw and of course that my pair couldn't be Ella or Dom. My pair was Lysander. I don't have my best friend's talent to deal with his lunatic personality, so basically he got distracted with some Nargles and I got bored my his awful talk and our half cat half pillow made a mess while trying to get Ella and Dom's half pillow half rat, which led to a messy classroom and some bitten fingers of other students.

Finally, during lunch, Albus had to seat with us and his puppy Malfoy and steal my beautiful pork with honey from my plate, and while I was arguing with him for doing such an evil thing I noticed that Hugo got my pumpkin juice, so I threw a spell that would make his hair blue but unfortunately he managed to rebound the spell and now my hair is turquoise just like Teddy's.

Also, while I was protectively trying to eat my chicken with rice James took a seat by my side looking as exhausted as me. I always want to help my family and make them feel better but it had to be during dinner?

"Spit it out, James" I said after he took a seat by my side but was hesitating to say anything.

"Fine" he replied, putting his hand under his chin to support his big head.

I looked to him, not understanding why he was not talking.

"James, are you not gonna dine?" I asked him, trying to analyze his features. Arched eyebrows, a frown, sealed lips, messy hair. He certainly did something stupid.

"No, I'm not hungry" he replied, a low tone on his usual loud voice.

"Well, I am very hungry, with a blue turquoise hair and traumatized with my family trying to steal my food" I complained "I would be delighted to help you, and since I know that you have no manners to talk to me after I have dinner, spit it out while I eat" I tried to sound delicate but it's not my forte.

"Well" he opened his mouth then closed again, looking to me for some help, but how could I help him if I have no clue about what happened? "Well..."

"James, you sound like Matteo" I remembered Malfoy's cousin when we met him at the Quidditch World Cup while he was talking about Lily.

"He has spending a lot of time with Lils indeed, but I take care of him later" James said, looking at his sister seated at the end of the Gryffindor table with Lorcan at her right side and Matteo by her left side.

I need to talk to her about this love triangle, it never works and usually everybody gets hurt.

Not that I'm an experienced person, perhaps Dom could give better advices... Or also let her sarcastic and too much sincere nature screw things up...

My family makes me dizzy, I'm always somewhat involved with their crazy lives and unique personalities, us Weasleys call for trouble, I'm sure.

"No you will not" I scolded him "Lils can make her own decisions and you are... A tactless insensitive git" I took a sip of my pumpkin juice, noticing how a small grin in his sad and frustrated face.

"You know you are not much better than me" James said, messing his already messed hair even more "But that's why the whole family comes to you when we have problems to solve" he tried to get a piece of my chicken but I slapped his hand, what is the bloody problem with the Potters and my food? Blimey!

"You with your sarcastic and acid personality surprisingly make us happier" James beamed to me, and his gesture and words touched me deeply, my family knows that at the bottom I'm not that tough, I also can be very comforting and kind. At least that's what mum says. And she is the Minister for some reason.

"I'm honoured James" I really am, but curiosity is my sin "But spit it out, you're making me nervous" I finished my dinner, getting some pudding, lemon pie and chocolate and vanilla ice cream.

"You eat like a troll" James looked impressed to my plates of deserts.

I just arched one of my eyebrows to him, he was delaying our talk, he probably messed something up so much that he is even embarrassed by himself. James is finally becoming an adult then.

"I'm not gonna say to you to spit it out again" I notified him, getting another slice of pudding because it's so nice and gives so much joy.

"Fine" James said reluctantly "I tried to apologise to Harper" he didn't look to me as he told me.

"And... You tried but failed?" I was not exactly asking him, I already know the answer.

"Is that so obvious?" he asked, frustration clear in his voice as I just shook my head affirmatively "I swear that I tried, she was there at the Black Lake reading a book and I tried to talk about the Falmouth Falcons and then when I said 'I'm so sorry' a ball hit my head and when I turned around it had been Violet MacGrath and her friends so... You know how I feel about her" he gulped, trying to organize his thoughts I guess.

"Let me guess, Harper asked you to repeat what you said because you said very low and then you got distracted by Violet and left Harper to join her" James is so predictable.

"How can you know it? Did you use aunt Hermione's Time-Turner?" is he serious?

"Merlin, all Time-Turners are in a restricted area at the Ministry of Magic, mum can't even tell us if they were all destroyed or not" I rolled my eyes, that's not the point.

"I bet that you also had to repeat your apologies to Scorpius" James said, an arrogant smirk in his face, he loves being right.

"Yep" I confirmed, I just couldn't hide some things from the Potters "How do you know it?"

"Because we have big egos and that's what happens to us" James said, getting some pudding and ice cream as well "I'm feeling better now that I'm not a loser for not being humble enough to apologise properly" he said as I questioned his earlier lack of hunger.

"So?" I asked him to keep talking.

"So yeah, I got distracted with Violet, the girl asked if I would like to join her and her friends, and I said yes and left Harper behind, when I remembered about her she was not around anymore" James said with a tone of mixed feelings.

"Let me guess" I said while appreciating my ice cream "You got happy that Violet was friendly to you after turning you down at the party" he confirmed with his big head "But you're feeling bad for treating your best friend since you were eleven in such a miserable and disrespectful way over another girl"

"Harsh words, Rosie" he scowled to me "Is not that bad..."

"Yes it is, James!" I scolded him "Harper is your best friend, you cannot treat her like that!" I stood up "You need to decide if Violet is worth your friendship with Harper, or you're going to lose her"

James, still seated at the bench, looking to me from above with angst eyes and a messy hair, seemed like a child that I had to protect from the world, and worst, from himself.

"We need to meet with the rest of our family, it's time already" I said, getting him to his feet by his arm.

"I'm feeling uneasy and confused..." he confessed to me.

James Potter, the most popular student in Hogwarts, never let anyone see him in a fragile state, he always looks unbeatable, like if nothing could mess with him. But now, he was confessing to his baby cousin how insecure he was feeling.

"Hey, we are together in this, remember?" I embraced one of his sides as we walked toward the big door of the Great Hall, some students ogling our lovely exchange "I'm feeling this way as well, and we have ego problems and maturing challenges to deal with"

My cousin embraced me back, kissing my forehead.

"You're right" James' voice was less insecure now "We have each other, right?"

I agreed, trying to beam comfortably to him.

"You have me as well" Fred joined us, his mouth with chocolate, he also has no manners.

"I'm here, hello!" Dom joined us, embracing James' other side.

"Where were you?" I asked them, Dom with her mouth also filthy of chocolate.

"Shh" Dom scolded me for asking loudly.

"We went to the kitchen, get more desserts" Fred whispered "Roxanne is everywhere, we cannot risk our ass"

James and I looked to each other, giggling with our other cousins and sharing the feeling that indeed we really have our family to rely on.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Firstly, I would like to apologise for taking so long to update this story! I really enjoyed my holidays and I hope you folks did as well! But now, I'm back!

Secondly, I would like to thank _chloedasha_ for her follow and review! Hope to see more of you around, folk!

Thirdly, what did you guys think of Cursed Child? Mixed feelings like me?

Thank you for sticking with me this year, my dear readers!

Don't forget to let me know what you think!

Without further ado,

 _Binki_


	11. Stranger Things

_**Disclaimer:**_ You guys already know it, I own nothing. JK Rowling takes all the credit for creating the Wizarding World.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Eleven – Stranger Things**

Don't get me wrong, I love my aunties and uncles. I feel so lucky for having so many, each one of them has something special, their personalities amaze me everytime I notice something I hadn't before.

Some people misunderstand aunt Audrey, and I hate when they get her wrong from a first impression. Indeed she's not very... Open in a first meeting, and she is not very welcome with outsiders, she likes to keep her group closed, our family protected. War traumas, mum says. So when someone new tries to get in the family she's not the most... Likeable of my aunties. On the other hand, everybody loves aunt Angelina, because indeed she rocks, she's awesome and has such a strong personality, it's impossible to not adore that woman. But also she can be very scary when she wants, just like aunt Ginny and mum.

I lost my track again. So, as I was saying, don't get me wrong. I love my aunt Fleur, she's charming, and lovely and warm and has an acid sense of humour, my cousins and I always have a great laugh with her even when she doesn't have the purpose to entertain us. She's also very strong and determinate and her breathtaking beauty doesn't get over her head, she's beautiful inside and out. And I'm not being cliché, because I am not cliché. That's just the way it is.

Also, I love my uncle Harry. He is my godfather as well. So I have the honour to have his presence in my life with such important roles for me. I know that I can always count on him, just like the rest of my family, but he is even more special to me. We share a bond that he only has with Teddy as well, and I really feel blessed for it.

So, as I've said before. Don't get me wrong.

But why my lovely aunt Fleur and my adorable uncle Harry allowed Malfoy to be part of this family meeting? My day was horrible already. I hate Mondays. And now Malfoy had to be by my side, touching me – the first time since we snogged yesterday – with his arm, and trying to conceal his giggles while making ungraceful comments about my turquoise hair.

I don't like when people make fun of me.

I don't like when people act strangely.

I don't like when people act like nothing has happened.

I don't like when people keep emotionless faces in front of me.

I don't like when I don't understand someone.

I don't like to be touched at all.

And Malfoy being this person just makes it worse.

I don't like Malfoy.

So it's very understandable that I'm getting very pissed off right now while trying to pay attention to what my aunt Fleur and my uncle Harry are telling us about their Triwizard Tournament.

"I didn't know who had put my name in the Goblet of Fire since Dumbledore made a very clever Age Line, so no underage student could be part of such a dangerous Tournament" uncle Harry was explaining to us.

We were at the Headmistress' Office, aunt Fleur seated on McGonagall's chair, uncle Harry seated on her desk, all of us spread on the floor in front of them.

Us actually are me, Hugo, James, Albus, Lily, Roxy, Fred, Dom, Louis, Lucy, Molly, - which I call family -, Liam, Lorcan, - which I call family aggregates, because they are dating my cousins (Lily and Lorcan are not exactly dating, just enjoying the physical part apparently, although Lily has been in love with him for a time now) -, Lysander, Jack, Alice, Frank, Ella, - which I call family long time friends that are almost part of the family -, and Malfoy.

Malfoy may be a long time friend, but just of Albus and my family. Since I am part of the family and we are not friends and obviously if we are not friends he can't be my long time friend as well, he is not welcome here at all. He just doesn't fit in any of the available categories allowed to be part of this important family meeting.

Which is why I'm almost telling him to 'sod off', because he is bloody not welcome and is bloody pissing me off. Just like he always does, but this time even more.

I'm even feeling my neck and ears turning red of so much anger Malfoy is making me feel right now.

' _At least he makes you feel'_ my consciousness said, she's been pissing me off since I've gotten confused about yesterday ' _You are so bloody boring without this lad'_

I hate myself. My innermost self.

"Some girls almost poisoned you with a love potion because they thought you were Teddy with this turquoise hair of yours" Malfoy whispered, trying to mock me without anyone could notice he was making my life miserable. Again. As usual.

And I know that I am such a dramatic person.

But life is really miserable when you have Malfoy by your side.

And also I know I was not complaining when he was by my side snogging me senseless, but perhaps he doesn't make me miserable when he puts his lips into good use. A useful good use.

I wish I had the guts to say it to him.

Not because I want it, but just to see Malfoy's reaction when I say such things. I mean, I'm Rose Weasley, people don't expect me to say dirty things.

This is much more Dominique Weasley, the same gorgeous girl that is eyeing Malfoy and I suspiciously.

"I think turquoise looks much better than your auburn strange shade of hair" Malfoy said again, he was playing with my self-control, playing his game of making me mad. He's a weird person if pissing me off is what entertains him.

Sometimes making him mad is really funny to me, but I don't make it the reason of my existence like he does. He's mental. I've said it many times before and nobody seems to care. I guess my family is mental too.

"Genious, it sounds more like a compliment" I rolled my eyes, trying not to laugh at him.

"It is not, genious" he hates my nickname to him "I would never compliment you, you are..."

I decided to try to ignore Malfoy's foolishness and Dom's suspect by paying enough attention to my uncle and aunt, after all they are like legends alive and not every witch and wizard have the honour to hear about historic events from historic heroes themselves.

But I just couldn't concentrate enough, my family is very entertaining even when they don't intend to be. Actually, they act strangely when they think no one is looking to them.

Al for example, I've been watching him for half an hour now, and he's really trying not to sleep, I can see his tired eyes. Al eats so much during meals that after breakfast, lunch and dinner he always has to take a nap to get back to his awake state. Apparently, the best way he found to keep his eyes open, since he already knows all of what his father has to say and didn't take his usual nap, is to stare like a pervert to my best friend Ella. Seriously, what is going on between them?

Ella is not even founding it weird like I am, she just genuinely beams to him and then gets back her attention to my uncle and aunt. Ella also is a strange person, I mean, she has never been normal, actually no one around me is. I am not a normal person. But Ella amazes me sometimes, right now, while managing to beam to Albus while he is being creepy and paying attention to uncle Harry, she is caressing her bonsai tree named Janis – in the honour of her diva Janis Joplin, a muggle icon of the '70s I guess – that I gave to her as a birthday gift in our first year. She always talks to Janis, she cuts Janis after learning the Japanese technique to do it correctly, she feeds Janis with water, sun and love – Ella's words.

Lily, another creepy Potter, is listening to her father – or at least she pretends very well – while not taking her eyes off Lorcan, who is seated beside her. Seriously, she spends her whole day gazing at this guy. At least Lorcan is feeling uncomfortable, I can say, he is looking around like trying to found help. Nonetheless, I noticed how every time he looks to Dom they share a funny and understanding beam. It's very strange to watch the three of them, it seems like Lorcan is physically with Lily, but mentally with Dom. The question is, which of them is he emotionally with?

I decided to let them be, I already have too much problems on my own. Later I talk to Lily and Ella, I still need a few answers.

"Our brothers-in-law, Fred and George, tried to get into the Tournament illegally by using an aging potion though" aunt Fleur said, she still has her French accent but has managed to smooth her words while speaking in English.

"Did it work?" Louis asked his mum with an excited shade in his blue eyes, exchanging a beam with Hugo.

These two are trouble, just like James and Fred. But I still believe that Hugo will not become a new Marauder like his oldest cousins, he has more potential and mum would be horrified.

Or find it very comical, because she already got used to being in trouble. Aunt Fleur says the gene for troublemaker was inherited by all of us actually. Even me.

I find it very unfair, I hope to be Head Girl next year. I'm not a troublemaker. I just argue a lot.

"Of course not, it's Dumbledore, he would never be fooled by such an obvious... method" Roxy said, not surprised by her father and uncle actions.

"That's why they are genius" James murmured.

"Because it's pathetically obvious" Fred added, as him and James high five for their similar reasoning.

"You two are a danger to society" Lily said, beaming to her father as he agreed with her. Uncle Harry's eyes full of nostalgia, probably seeing George and Fred while looking at James and Fred II.

I noticed how James said 'are', and not 'were'. In our family uncle Fred is still alive, in our memories, our hearts and our thoughts, so we don't treat him as something in the past, forgotten in what already happened. He is and always will be a part of our family and we know he is always with us, each one of us. His presence is very strong when the whole family is reunited at the Burrow.

Us, the new generation, hate the fact that we can't meet him, but we feel like we know him anyway through the stories we hear from our relatives since we were toddlers. So actually we feel like we know him, and it's very comforting to feel this connection with our uncle Fred. A connection built through memories and affection.

"Weasel, or should I say Lupin?" that annoying voice said in a funny tone.

I can't stand this boy, Merlin.

"You're not funny, Malfoy" I simply said, trying not to let him get under my skin "So why do you even try?"

I turned my face to look at him, and noticed how he was caught off guard with my answer, he was not expecting me being this calm and unaffected, I guess.

But soon, not enough so I couldn't read him, his face was emotionless, building up his wall again.

I just rolled my eyes at his typical reaction, he's so childish to me when he acts like this. I'm not saying that I am the most mature person at Hogwarts, that's Roxy undoubtedly, but at least I'm not as childish as him. Right?

There's just silence, my consciousness just speaks to criticize me, because I am the master of self-deprecation. I feel really pathetic on daily basis.

Perhaps that's why I'm not arrogant, the only thing that flatters my ego is my intelligence. I don't think I'm pretty enough, just plain. And I have to say that I feel very well with myself anyway, because beauty is something so superficial that it being the thing that increases your self-esteem must be really frustrating, it probably creates a vacuum at you, and at the end it means nothing.

"Because when you are mad you are less unbearable" Malfoy whispered quickly to me, moving so he could seat beside Albus, where he should have been since the beginning so I could avoid him.

I just rolled my eyes at him, again.

He noticed me doing it, again.

So I hope he finally gets the message that I don't like him. He has a horrible personality, it almost makes me ill.

' _On the other hand, his body and what he does with it...'_ my consciousness finally said something. Very unnecessary, indeed.

I don't need myself right now reminding me what I already know and have been trying to forget.

I suddenly missed the warmth that was coming from his body, Malfoy looks cold but his touches aren't like this. On the contrary, I felt like if I was in flames yesterday...

That's why I don't know if I regret that I stopped our actions. I was feeling so great, shouldn't I let myself feel it?

Because he makes me feel, whatever it is. He always makes me feel anger, and frustration, and irritation and madness. But now he also made me feel excited and even aroused, he made me feel desired and attractive. At the same time Malfoy boosts my self-esteem he also crushes it with his emotionless face and harsh words.

I know that I already am mental, he just makes it worse.

But I keep telling myself that perhaps he is not that wrong or that he is very wrong. Snogging is really the best way to interrupt our 'vicious cycle' of constantly arguing and bickering?

Perhaps he is not that wrong because according to my aunt Ginny, mum and dad stopped being so stubborn and pissing off everyone around them and each other after they found a way to channel their sexual frustration: they started snogging.

Nevertheless, according to aunt Ginny as well, they still keep fighting, but not because of their sexual tension, they don't have it anymore. My aunt Ginny says that they keep fighting because they like the afterwards of making peace and because they are a strange type of couple that enjoy pushing each other through arguing and bickering just to increase their sexual pleasure and because they simply like fighting.

I asked her to stop telling me her theories after that. I got traumatized.

Not that sex is a taboo at home. Dad has never talked to me about it, because apparently he is so jealous of me – his little baby girl – that he asked my mum to talk about the birds and the bees with me. But I know that both of them talked to Hugo about it as well.

My parents can't be hypocrites and act like if taboos are a healthy way of dealing with life, they saved the Wizarding World, they need to act more nobly.

Anyway. Thinking clearly about it now, if Malfoy and I develop our already chaotic relationship of years through physical interaction, we may stop arguing so much and increase our quality of life as a way of stopping our vicious cycle based on sexual tension.

But, if we are strange people like my parents, whom I believe we are, physical interaction may not be the solution if we actually enjoy fighting all the time like two stubborn children that we shouldn't be anymore.

I need to talk about it with Malfoy, I think we are never going to work out our differences because of our disturbing personalities that enjoy fighting like I enjoy eating and he enjoys playing Quidditch.

Snogging is not gonna solve our problem, our vicious cycle, like he said. I even think that it is a stupid idea, actually.

Because although he is Malfoy, my great enemy, the boy that has been making my life miserable in the last years, the intruder of my family, the guy that caused me and Albus to spend the first year apart, the lad that just can't leave me alone so I can finally live my boring life in peace, the one that is always chasing my position of first in class, my greatest opponent in Quidditch since we play at the same position; and although I am Rose Granger-Weasley, the Iron Witch, the one that never dates, the girl with a cold frozen heart, the less experienced of my cousins – not counting Lucy here -, but also the one that less cares about boys and dating; although all the variances that make the equation of it seem impossible, I am afraid that due to our physical interaction, and considering that everything between Malfoy and I is very much intense, I could get stupidly and awkwardly in love with him.

Because exactly for me being Rose Granger-Weasley and him being Malfoy, the probability of us trying a solution together and making it work is low, and it doesn't even make me surprise. It pretty much could become a giant chaos, more than we already are.

And a giant chaos more than we already are it's the last thing I need or want in my life right now.

Merlin, I speak too much. Even I get tired of myself.

Ella says that I need something to talk to while I still don't know how to verbalize my problems to a person, so she gave me a fish when we were on third year. She had forgotten that I have a cat that loves a red fish swimming beside my bed. Last year she tried to get me a plant, but I told her that I wouldn't take care of a plant, I barely have time to take care of myself.

Now she is trying to make me talk to my cat, a fat grey one with giant blue eyes called Sartre, my grandma Granger's idea since my cat has a constant expression of boredom and she said that this muggle philosopher couldn't stand life without his pessimist idealism.

But Sartre and I don't talk. I serve him, I think that he thinks that I live to serve him. I feed him, I give him my love and affection, I let him sleep at the end of my bed where it's warmer and full of pillows, I caress his head while I study and always give him some sweets when I get back from Hogsmead. Sartre, on the other hand, just gives me the pleasure to serve him. Period.

Merlin, I'm doing it again. I need self-control or I'm gonna blow my mind with my unstoppable thoughts.

Apparently the reminiscent of my family noticed my mental absence of our meeting.

"Mon chérie" my aunt Fleur was in front of me, looking to me from above with her blue eyes and a worried expression on her older but still pretty face "You get too much lost in your own thoughts, Rosie"

My aunt just knows me too well.

Or I am easily readable. Which makes me weak.

"I just can't restrain myself auntie Fleur" I said, beaming at her as I stood up to embrace her tiny frame.

"Of course not, you are Hermione's daughter" my aunt said, kissing my cheeks like she always does.

"Rosie" my uncle Harry embraced me tightly, he feels so much like home "I'll try not to get upset to the fact that you didn't even pay attention to your aunt and I" he said playfully, I just love him so much, uncle Harry is so peaceful and relaxed.

I think he deserves after such a turbulent childhood.

I always go to the Potters when I can't stand anymore my parents' fights, and my uncle Harry's peaceful nature makes me calmer and less stressed.

"Sorry, uncle Harry" I said apologetically, I really was "Do you both mind telling me again when you're available?" I asked my aunt and uncle.

They exchanged a beam, they know me too well.

Indeed sometimes I get lost in my thoughts, but there are times when I rather have a talk only me and my uncles and aunties, probably because I like to ask so many things and details that when there are other people around I can't do it at all.

"Just the three of us" uncle Harry winked to me, whispering so my cousins could not listen to us.

"We promise" aunt Fleur whispered as well, beaming to me.

Merlin, I love my family!

"But why are you so distracted today?" uncle Harry asked me curiously.

My family think that mum and I have so many thoughts because we are very intelligent, actually we have so much inside moments because we are very complicate women.

"I had a terrible Monday" I admitted, feeling tired.

"You already hate Mondays, so..." uncle Harry pointed out.

"Chérie, go back to your dorms and take a relaxing bath" aunt Fleur said "Or you can stay, we still need to talk with Roxy for some tips and warns"

Roxy was by my side now, her Head Girl badge shining over her school robes.

"Go to sleep, Rosie" Roxy put her arm over my shoulder comfortingly "I'll tell you everything when our schedule allow us to meet" she said sarcastically, but I know that is truth.

I don't know how my cousin manages to do so many things, and she does everything so well. Roxy is a true leader.

"Deal" I agreed, embracing my aunt Fleur, uncle Harry and Roxy before getting down the stairs of Headmistress McGonagall's office.

I was walking slowly through the corridors, happy that at least this Monday the patrols were of the fifth year prefects, not mine.

My head was buzzing from so many thoughts and a full Monday, I was hoping to at least manage to take a bath before getting to my bed.

"Weasel" a voice came from behind me, his footsteps inaudible, like a shadow.

Perhaps he is a shadow. He even came out from one, the moonlight from the windows the only thing enlightening the desert corridor.

"What" I didn't turn around, I just kept my pace.

"Where are you going?" Malfoy's impatient voice asked.

"Why do you care?" I asked defensively, like he usually does.

"Why wouldn't I?" he replied to me, his footsteps following me.

"We aren't even friends..." I pointed out, speaking slowly, not understanding his game.

His walls were up, I just couldn't decipher what was going on.

"Indeed" he agreed, funny when he agrees with me, I almost giggle when it happens "But we are partners"

Just as he said it, I stopped in my track.

Partners? What does that mean?

I felt my heart almost stop.

And then race fast, as fast as last night when... That... Happened...

My cheeks soon got crimson, as my ears and neck.

My instinct was telling me to run away from him and not let him see the effects he has on me.

But I am Rose Granger-Weasley, I don't run away.

"What?" my voice came out quirky, finally my eyes met his, and I had to hold my breath as I noticed his wall up and his piercing grey eyes.

I hate him so much when he acts like this.

"What is wrong with you, Weasel?" Malfoy's voice still impatient, but his eyes were analysing me.

Must be funny, to be the one unreadable, but being able to read your opponent.

"Remembering last night?" his tone changed, not the impatient anymore, but the player, the arrogant.

"Of course not!" I lied to him, but I just couldn't lie to myself, my consciousness always reminds me and my body just reacts instinctively.

"I can see it" Malfoy got near me, oh no not again!

"No, you can't!" I retorted, keeping my composure and not backing away as he probably expected me to do.

"Then why are you all crimson?" he asked, getting closer to me.

"I am not" I replied quickly, not letting his closeness get any reaction from me.

"Yes, you are" Malfoy insisted.

Why does he even try?

"No, I-am-not" I said slowly, my tone fierce.

He didn't say anything, his eyes trying to analyse mine.

Apparently he was not finding anything, which gave me even more strength to keep our eye contact like if indeed I was not whatever he was saying I was.

I don't even remember anymore, I was trying to concentrate in not getting lost in his grey eyes, the same ones that were trying to drag me to him at each step he was getting closer to me.

"You are stubborn as a Hippogriff" Malfoy said, shaking his head like if he couldn't believe himself.

"No, I am not" I retorted, my head still high.

"You are mental" he said.

His eyes were not meeting mine anymore.

His grey eyes were looking fiercely to my mouth.

And then I noticed that I was holding my lower lip with my teeth.

I guess he really likes it.

I guess I like when he looks to my lips like this.

Malfoy plays so many games, I think I'm gonna play as well.

I parted my lips, letting my tongue moisten my upper one and then bite my lower lip again.

His reaction was instantaneous, Malfoy closed the space between us, his arms standing at both sides of my head, his palms steady on the brick wall behind me.

Before I could restrain myself, a beam escaped from my lips, and the feeling of being caught got upon me.

Malfoy's grey eyes snapped back to my blue ones.

Finally his walls were down, his face not emotionless anymore.

I could see lust in his darkened grey eyes, dragging more than ever. I had never seen his eyes like this, not even after we snogged, his walls were back right after we did it, his face emotionless.

My thoughts got confused, my mind got dizzy, the silence suddenly became noisy, a buzz in my head.

Seeing him carefree and spontaneous enough to have his walls down already makes me shiver, but seeing his eyes with lust makes me... Careless...

"And the worst is..." Malfoy said, his voice raspy, making the hair on the back of my neck bristle.

... Irrational...

"... You make me mental" his raspy voice whispered on my left ear, almost making me lose balance as my legs got weak.

...Wild.

And then I lost it.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, folks!

I know, this chapter is full of thoughts and Rosie, and has so little of the other characters and actions. But I think it's necessary to get deep inside Rosie's head. I guess that her relationship with Scorpius is very complicated, just a snog will not make it different. Also, after so many years of constant fighting, it must be realy confusing to develop a different relationship with him.

Anyway, I hope you like it!

I would really love to know what you my readers think about it!

I thought about trying something like: if this chapter gets at least **4 reviews** then the next update will be a **double update** , what do you guys think?

Without further ado,

yours sincerely,

 _Binki_

Ps. I would like to thank _Songbird6802_ for the review of Chapter 10, I got very glad when I read your words! Thank you!


	12. Little Talks

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, folks!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twelve – Little Talks**

Blimey, not again!

I could feel the sunlight burning my face, making me wake up from my... Damn it, my bed is not comfortable!

Merlin, why? Not only I had a terrible Monday as my beloved best friend Ella opened the window to admire the view during her morning Yoga session and for some reason I don't know my usual comfortable bed is feeling very awkward right now, it's hard and cold and doesn't smell very good...

Funny, my bed is even moving in a rhythmic way, now I noticed. And my pillow, bloody hell, so hard and small, what happened?

I also noticed a calm snoring and even a familiar scent, familiar but I had never paid enough attention about the scent, it seems like... Fancy.

I'm still trying to understand how I had such a nice sleep while being this uncomfortable, uncle Charlie says that nothing disturbs my sleep because I am such a sleepyhead.

"Weasel" a sleepy voice called me, I guess.

Oh no!

Beds don't speak.

The only person that calls me like this is... Malfoy!

Suddenly a rush of memories came to my mind about yesterday, I felt my cheeks, neck and ears getting warm, probably I am blushing crimson right now while pretending to still be asleep.

I tried to focus on exactly what happened last night before I could panic for doing something stupid, because how on Earth did I end up waking up with bloody Malfoy?

" _Weasel" Malfoy whispered between our short kisses._

" _Hm" I murmured so he knows I'm listening._

" _Let's go to the Astronomy Tower" he suggested, his left hand gently pulling my hair so I look in his eyes, his dark grey eyes._

 _I must say that I like how bright his grey eyes are, when I see some emotion and I can read them, of course. But when his eyes are dark with lust, Merlin, help me! I just lose it, like I just did!_

" _I'm not gonna shag you!" I said, trying to sound angry but actually letting escape a giggle from my now plump lips, he bites them so deliciously well._

" _I know you are desperate for shagging me, Weasel" Malfoy teased me, his voice still raspy but he had a funny tone of voice, I think I'll never get used to funny Malfoy, he is even bearable when he is like this "But is just for more privacy, we are exposed here in the middle of the corridor near the Headmistress..."_

" _Okay, okay" I interrupted him "You babble too much" a giggle escaped my lips again, nothings like a good snog to lighten up your mood and make your tiredness go away. Even if Malfoy is the one that you're snogging._

 _If his personality reflected his appearance he would be the coolest person alive, I have to say._

 _I noticed how he took my hand and hurried toward the Astronomy Tower._

" _Let's hope no one is shagging there" I said, giggling again._

 _I feel so idiot when I keep giggling for no reason._

 _And then Malfoy was beaming. Merlin, he really was. Not in a sarcastic or arrogant way, but truly beaming, like the ones we do spontaneously because we simply do..._

" _Did I really hear Weasel say 'shagging'?" Malfoy asked me, teasing clear in his tone._

" _What's the deal, Malfoy?" I rolled my eyes._

" _Based on your know-it-all nature and arrogant high-level vocabulary, I thought you used words like 'intercourse' or 'sexual interaction'" Malfoy mocked me, his eyes and voice still reflecting that he actually was having fun._

 _Merlin, I never thought that I would talk about it with Malfoy. I don't know if talking about sex or learning that Malfoy can have fun with me is what surprises me the most._

" _Oh" I pretended to be insulted, earning giggles from him as we neared the Astronomy Tower "You hypocrite, if you know these terms you also are the know-it-all" I pointed out, arching one of my eyebrows at him and my chin up._

" _I never claimed that I wasn't" he replied "But at least I don't look like one all the time like you do, look at you" Malfoy beamed._

" _But" I said "at least I am the first of our year"_

" _Again Weasel?" Malfoy pretended to be upset "Are you not tired of using the same card?"_

 _I tried to find a great answer, an answer that would shut his bloody Malfoy so he could make a good use of it._

" _No" I simply said._

" _Great" Malfoy said, entering the Astronomy Tower, the moonlight the only source of light to the room "Now stop babbling"_

" _Hey" I complained "That's my motto"_

" _No, it is not" Malfoy retorted, his face challenging me._

" _Yes" I murmured "It is"_

" _No"_

" _Yes"_

" _No"_

" _Yes, it is!" I can't believe he was testing my limits "You are such an arrogant prat, stealing my bloody brilliant quotes"_

 _Malfoy's eyes were analysing me, a silence between us. Finally his eyes were back to my blue ones, staring me intensively. His grey eyes darkened again, and I know what is coming._

 _And it's not winter, because every November Ella has to say 'Winter is coming' and she pisses me off doing it the whole month._

" _You look nice when you're angry" Malfoy surprisingly said "With me" I noticed how he finished his sentence. With him. What does that mean? Should this mean something?_

" _You look nice when you're not babbling" I replied "But snogging me"_

 _His face was not emotionless, his face was vivid, vivid with fun, careless and spontaneous._

 _Also, his reactions are fast and accurate, he knows what he is doing._

 _Malfoy got my lips between his, biting my lower one, sucking hard at the same time. How he does it I don't know, but the gossiping I've heard in the past years indeed were not just rumours, Malfoy is a great snogger, it pains me to say but I just can't deny._

 _Soon he was all over me, his breath warm on my neck, one hand holding my hair firmly, pressing my nape, the other hand caressing my skin uncovered by my shirt. I was trying to keep myself stable, but I could feel my heartbeat almost exploding my chest, my breath fast and dysfunctional, my pulse hard under his tongue._

 _Merlin, what this boy does to me?_

 _I like when he does it to me, but I also like to be in charge._

 _My hand travelled to his face and hair, holding tight the hair of his nape and caressing his gorgeous cheekbones and perfect jaw. I was biting his lip and before I could restrain myself my tongue touched his, trying to get the passage to explore his mouth._

 _But even when we are in such an intense moment Malfoy is stubborn and has to make it hard for me. As I do for him as well, it's fair, actually, but still pisses me off._

 _I pressed my body to his to increase our contact, as I felt his arousal on his pants I pressed myself even more to him, getting him distracted enough to earn our small battle._

 _Such a silly boy!_

 _His mouth tastes so good tough, snogging him has probably been one of the best... Alright, actually it pretty much seems to be the best._

" _Not fair" Malfoy complained, nibbling my earlobe and making me shiver._

" _I can stop if you wish..." I challenged him._

" _I know that you know that being the bloody stubborn girl that you are you won't do what you don't want to do" Malfoy said._

" _Well" I was impressed "It pains me to say, but you're right" I giggled, making him beam. Perhaps I am funny?_

 _I wouldn't use this adjective to describe myself._

" _Of course I am" he said pretending to be arrogant._

 _He usually is, but tonight he's acting quite nicely._

" _I take back what I said" I giggled again, Merlin am I pathetic?_

" _It's just" Malfoy stopped teasing me with his bites and now was staring me with his grey eyes "Sometimes I think I know you very well..." his right hand pulled my ginger hair behind my ear, not letting me hide "... And sometimes I think I don't" his face was confused._

 _I was enjoying so much seeing different expressions on his usual emotionless face, it's like meeting a new person, one that had always been there but that I had never met anyway._

 _Or because I couldn't allow myself to, or because he couldn't allow himself to let me know this side of him._

 _Or both, because we are both bloody mental._

" _I..." well, I feel he is being sincere about it, and I feel it because as he said sometimes I know him very well, but other times I don't "I think the same as you" I admitted "I know right, we thinking in the same way, bloody disturbing" I was feeling shy right now, still I didn't avoid his eyes, because I don't run away from situations, I face them._

" _We should do something about it" Malfoy said, a tiny beam in his lips, an uncertain expression on his face, a lighter shade in his eyes._

" _What do you suggest, genious?" I asked, really interested about what he had to say to me._

" _Perhaps..." I just enjoy so much to be able to read him, really understand what is going on with him, I hate to be the open book while I don't have a hint about what is going on inside him, it's just not fair._

 _Well, life is not fair so I should stop complaining._

" _We should talk" Malfoy seemed more confident now, funny, I never thought I would see him not being confident, he is always overconfident in my opinion._

 _Ella says that I am too harsh with him, but she is not the one he makes life miserable. Al stopped saying anything on thir year after he noticed Malfoy and I are unchangeable._

" _Talk sounds good" I agreed, beaming to hide my nerves, which questions would he ask me? I have to say that since curiosity is my sin I'm really curious to know about him although he is my enemy._

' _But enemies don't snog, genious' my consciousness appeared, I was finding strange that she was not around to bother me like she usually does._

 _Malfoy took a second look to me to see if I was being serious and seated on the floor, taking me with him._

 _I like that he doesn't wait for me to do things or that he does and let me there, he takes me with him._

 _Damn it, what am I doing?_

 _Better not to think about it._

" _Right, you first" I demanded just to piss him off, because I know he will be. Of the few things I know about him, this one I know very well._

" _No" Malfoy denied, of course he did "I'm a firm believer of ladies first"_

 _I looked suspiciously at him "I thought you were a firm believer of gender equality" I accused._

" _I am" he said._

" _Then stop reproducing chauvinist quotes from centuries ago" I scolded him playfully, earning a giggle from him._

 _Ilikeotmakehimgiggle, I thought quickly._

 _Merlin, it's hard to admit it to myself, but as long as I don't say it, it's fine. I like to make Malfoy giggle. He looks much nicer when he giggles._

" _I knew you would say it" he was shaking his head, almost in disbelief "Fine, just because you babble too much and you're so stubborn that this discussion would last the whole night"_

 _I beamed in victory, earning a playful but annoyed glare from him. Apparently he's still in good mood because his arm brought me closer to him, making me straighten by his side._

" _Hm" Malfoy was looking to nowhere, liking elaborating a great question._

" _Don't overthink" I said._

" _Just if you don't" he replied._

" _Deal" I agreed, I want to see what comes spontaneously from his big head._

" _Fine" Malfoy agreed "What is your favourite food?"_

 _I grinned, not believing his first question to me._

" _What?" he asked, grinning as well._

 _Apparently grinning is contagious today._

" _Nothing, it's just..." I was trying to find the right word._

" _You said to not overthink" Malfoy remembered me._

" _Right, it's childish" I admitted, giggling at his outraged face "But nice beginning" I tried to not giggle but I couldn't help myself, I thought he would ask dirtier and humiliating things._

 _Apparently I really don't know him._

" _Well, there are inappropriate things that I would like to ask you but I don't want to be punched in the face, so don't mock me, Weasel" Malfoy playfully scolded._

 _Write in the list, I like playful Malfoy._

" _Clever boy" I said "Well, it's a really hard question, I adore so many foods and..."_

" _Yeah, everybody in this castle and outside knows it" he interrupted me, earning a pissed glare from me that made him beam "But if Voldemort came back from the dead and you had to choose a food to your last meal before he destroyed the whole Wizarding World, what would you choose?"_

" _Although the whole context is a bit disturbing" I was analysing now, remembering my favourite foods and feeling really hungry right now "I would say..." Merlin, such a hard question "It's probably cheating but I don't care, anything that my Nana Molly cooks"_

" _Indeed it's cheating" Malfoy agreed "But in this case it's allowed, Nana Molly is the master of cooking" he said, caressing his own belly._

 _Dude, we are probably having the same feeling of an empty and very hungry belly._

" _It's not my fault that I eat that much, my Nana not only cooks very well as she never lets my plate empty" I pointed out._

" _That's true either, I always gain a few pounds when I spend holidays at the Burrow" Malfoy agreed with me again. Again. What the bloody hell. Nana Molly would be proud of us and happy that her cooking abilities got the family's greatest enemies agreeing about something._

" _My turn now" I said "How is your mum, I mean, your relationship with her, and what do you think about her being the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation?"_

" _Seriously?" Malfoy asked incredulously, did I have asked the wrong question for a first one? But when I looked at his face he still had the funny expression of before, he didn't look angry "It's hard to believe that this is not an overthink question"_

" _I swear, it just came out of my mouth" I said sincerely, since I've seen Mrs. Malfoy I'm curious about her, now that I have the opportunity I won't lose it._

" _Well" oh no, Matteo's effect, it's contagious "Well..."_

" _You look like Matteo" I said, couldn't restrain myself._

" _I know, he has a horrible habit" Malfoy grinned "My mum is unique, it's no coincidence that she heads the International Magical Cooperation Department, she's a diplomat in business and personal life"_

 _His eyes were shining so bright while talking about his mum, it's adorable._

" _What I'm trying to say is that mum has such a catching personality that it's almost impossible to not adore her" Malfoy continued "She knows how to deal with everyone and everything and is a very strong woman, I admire her"_

 _I was enjoying that we are being sincere to each other, I couldn't believe it was actually happening but I'm not complaining. The effects of snogging senseless... Human behaviour is bizarre._

 _I wanted to ask him more about his mum and his family, because I noticed that I know nothing about them while he knows so much about mine, but I think that we are doing so well, I should control myself and postpone my curiosity._

" _Your turn" I simply said and he seemed relieved that I wouldn't push him further to talk more about his mum._

" _If it wasn't for your father, which Quidditch Team would be your favourite?" Malfoy asked me with a curious tone._

 _Is it funny that we always wanted to know things about each other but never dared to do because we are simply stubborn and mental?_

" _Holyhead Harpies, for sure!" I exclaimed in delight._

 _Malfoy just smirked at my manners._

 _We probably spent more time talking than snogging, which annoyed me at first but at the end I found very funny. Malfoy, I hate to say, has a peculiar sense of humour, dark and ironic but still funny and spontaneous._

 _Before I got to sleep seated by his side I had learned that his favourite colour is blue, he loves Northern Ireland and Amsterdam, the far he has travelled was to Hong Kong last summer, he loves to read even muggle books, he is a talented musician being capable of playing the piano, accordion, guitar and violin - I tried not to find it attractive but he just keeps surprising me even more -, his first broom was given by his father when he was five years old, he has never been in muggle London but wants to, he enjoys the parties Hogwarts students throw everytime but would rather celebrate a Quidditch victory sleeping is his bed, he feels embarrassed to ask Nana Molly more food because although she puts a lot on his plate he would eat more without hesitation, Albus is his only best friend although he found him a weirdo the first time they met, he loves lemon pie with chocolate chips and blackberry juice, and..._

"Hmm" Malfoy muttered, bringing me back to Earth.

Merlin, is he awake? Should I wake up then? Or pretend to be asleep?

Yesterday was such a nice night, we snogged, we talked, we had fun, but it's Malfoy, usually he acts like nothing never happened or is an utter prat.

I'm afraid that yesterday was just a punctual event then things get back to normal. I like normal, but if normal is not arrogant prat Malfoy then I don't rather normal anymore.

But why I care is what is intriguing me, I never minded about typical Malfoy, but now that I've seen bearable Malfoy I don't want this side of him to leave, he is not mean and harsh and emotionless, he is nice and has a good sense of humour, is a good snogger and a great dude to have a great time.

If I wake up, everything will be over? Yesterday will be just a good memory? Will I have to act like nothing happened?

Malfoy is right, I ask too many damn questions.

But also I don't run away of situations, so I decided to wake up and face whatever I have to.

I opened one eye, feeling blind for a few seconds due to the sunrays coming from the big window.

Then I looked around, the familiar Tower and me, laying on the floor with Malfoy, my head using his biceps as my pillow – interesting experience, uh? -, his asleep body beside me, his front facing me. Malfoy's platinum blonde hair falling in front of his pacific face, I had never seen him in such a serene state, even sleeping he was not emotionless like he usually is, he had a tiny grin in his lips, a relaxed expression and a calm breathing.

An unusual view, but it wouldn't be hard to get used to it...

Merlin, what am I saying?

I can't have these thoughts, it's disturbing and awful and inappropriate.

I was tempted to brush his hair from his face to have a better look, like he did with me last night. But wouldn't be awkward and creepy to touch him while he is still asleep? I'm not Lily or Albus to act creepily.

Nor I'm in love with anyone.

I still have to talk with Lily, Ella and Albus, oh, and Dom, about their love lives. I can feel that chaos is coming.

"Weasel" Malfoy murmured again, his voice raspy and deep.

I almost had heartache, I was still analysing his face when he said my name, I couldn't be caught staring him like this.

But then I noticed Malfoy was still asleep, probably... Dreaming? With me? Saying my name while he is asleep...

Merlin, it's embarrassing!

What should I do now?

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Sorry for the cliff-hanger, folks!

Also, I want to thank _chloedasha_ , _hailey 79726_ and _bianca090305_ for their reviews, I really appreciate what you had to say to me and I hope to see more of your reviews for my story!

The deal were 4 reviews for Chapter 4 for a double-update, I got 2 but it's okay, I will not double-update but I updated soon, right?

Thank you, my readers and hope that you like this chapter!

Without further ado,

 _Binki_


	13. Le Fabuleux Destin de Rose Weasley

_**Disclaimer:**_ All belongs to Jo Rowling's brilliant mind, I'm just one of her fans trying to write about her Wizarding World.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Thirteen – Le Fabuleux Destin de Rose Granger-Weasley**

It's funny how pathetic my life is.

I mean, I know that I'm a privileged person, I have an awesome family that supports me and gives me affection, my parents have conditions to provide a great life for me and my brother, I can go to school and have access to a proper education, I grew up in a healthy, respectful and stable environment, also I have true friends that metaphorically are always holding my hand to not let me fall alone.

So I shouldn't make such a drama about my tiny problems of a privileged life, but what should I do when my until-a-few-days-ago-enemy-and-most-annoying-person-that-has-been-making-my-life-miserable-for-the-last-few-years-for-sheer-self-entertainment is asleep by my side after we had a funny and almost intimate night of truly knowing each other and an intense snogging session?

Seriously? I never thought that I would be in such a weird and unbelievable situation like this, watching Malfoy calling my name while having a dream. It's so embarrassing, and at the same time I am almost waking him up so I could know what it's his dream about, because I'm such a curious bastard.

Self-deprecation mode on, as you can see.

I would like to be able to stop this moment, like really frozen it, so I could have time to talk to some people about what I should do now.

I would probably run to Ella, and knowing my best friend the way I do she would probably tell me that since we had a great night I should chill out and wait until he is awake so I don't take any precipitated action, because usually when I do it things screw up.

Then, I would run to Lily because sometimes Ella's advices to me don't seem too useful and just make me even more uncertain and anxious, because I simply am not as calm and restrained as she. So Lily would probably tell me to wake Malfoy and not act like nothing had happened but treat him just like I was doing yesterday when we were in such a great mood with each other.

Finally, I would run to Dom, because Lily's advices sometimes seem utopian because I don't feel secure enough to act so... Secure of myself, Malfoy is unpredictable! Then, my dear handsome half-French cousin probably would tell me to play with Malfoy's parts so he would wake up in a good mood and because he is really hot. I wish I had guts like Dom!

Probably, feeling that Dom's advice just simply doesn't fit me because I'm Rose boring Granger-Weasley, I would look for Roxanne's advice about how to deal with this situation and she would probably say that if I had been stupid enough to do something that I wasn't entirely secure about before, I should do whatever comes to my mind because I had nothing to lose since my dignity had gone already. I know, Roxy can seem harsh sometimes, but she is not, she's bloody brilliant and her crude vision about the world is very helpful and a true epiphany when we are inconsequent adolescents.

Still, Roxy didn't help me at all, just about losing my dignity perhaps.

Perhaps I would run to Molly that would tell me that she feels sorry for me and that my brains would find the best way how to deal with it.

Then Lucy, the youngest and promptest of all of us would giggle that I am in such a pathetic situation that I should get back to sleep and let him wake up first – being a total coward and undeserved Gryffindor – or run away and at least pretend that I was so hungry that I don't seem a coward at all. Being a coward is not a shame, she says, at all. Very comforting Lucy.

I'm feeling pathetic because I don't let a boy rule over me and how I feel, my parents always taught me that I could do things for myself without depending on a boy or anyone else, just like they did to Hugo. They are great parents indeed. And Malfoy is really letting me uncertain about myself: my actions and feelings. He shouldn't have so much effect over me.

Also, I'm feeling that my life is pathetic because in the end I would also look for the boys, Fred, Louis, Albus and James' advices. Not Hugo because he is my brother and I don't enjoy talking about my intimate life with him yet. But I would look for Fred because he is a master of dealing with tense moments with his peculiar sense of humour. It still wouldn't work because I'm not that humoristic, on the other hand, remember? I am Rose boring Granger-Weasley!

I still could run to Louis because he is charming and knows how to deal with the opposite sex very well – even though he is still very young. But I am not talented like him and although I learn fast I still wouldn't have time to become a master in his arts.

Also I would run for Albus because he is my male best friend and although it would be strange that Malfoy is his best friend and also the boy that I am talking about with him, he shouldn't need to know about this tiny detail, so I'm sure he would give me a great advice besides actually being a crap one, because that's what Al does. He comforts me with his kind personality. And I would take happily his comforting words, but still it wouldn't solve my problem. My handsome, platinum blonde haired, grey stormy eyes, not at all emotionless face, problem.

Finally, James perhaps would be my last and probably certain shot in how to deal with it. But then he would tell me that if he can't even solve his problems with the dilemma Harper/Violet how he could help me? He would even call himself useless, because although James has a big ego he also enjoys self-deprecation when things seem improbable to solve for him.

Sometimes we are so look-alike, James and I.

It's funny how pathetic my life is because I've been absorbed in my thoughts for the last minutes and still don't know what the bloody hell to do with Malfoy.

Dealing with has proven to be so tough and unpredictable that improvising has been the best way so far as long as I remember. Right? I hope that I am right.

Why should I hope, by the way? Why do I care?

Probably because last night was impressive and awkward and funny and surprising. And when you feel this alive you just can't give up for some stupid pride, or because common sense says the contrary, or because it sounds wrong.

Wrong is a question of perspective, I guess. And I keep telling it to myself, because then it's easier to make stupid things and don't feel guilty about it later. Dad always says that doing stupid things is part of growing up, that's why he still does stupid things. I remember that mum elbowed his ribs after he said this.

Anyway, Malfoy could bloody wake up so I don't have to take a decision that I'll regret afterwards. Such a coward I am, right? I should be a Ravenclaw so I don't feel like I have to be brave all the bloody time. Who invented these stupid standards about the houses? Merlin curses them!

I look to his face, serene and unaware of my afflictions besides him. I'm actually envy of him right now. What would he have done if he had been the one to wake up first? I'm really curious now...

So before I could make a decision, I noticed Malfoy moving his body, like if he was getting ready to stretch. I froze, my hand almost touching his hair falling over his eyes in the air. I felt like I couldn't move, so I did the easiest thing to do: I closed my eyes and pretended to be asleep.

I'm not a coward, I'm just not ready.

With my eyes closed and trying-to-be relaxed body, I tried to pay more attention to my listening. I'm horrible at pretending, and Malfoy is very astute, could I fool him? I'm not complimenting him, but he is a Slytherin after all, they are known for this quality.

Suddenly I felt a soft touch on my right cheek, caressing quickly while putting my hair away from my face. Merlin, I never imagined that Malfoy would be touching be like this... So intimately and tender... I'm used to rough Malfoy, not caring Malfoy.

I rather the latter, I noticed as a beam almost escaped from my lips. I restrained my self-control so he wouldn't know that I was pretending to be asleep. Malfoy surprised me with his actions, I was expecting him to wake up and push me aside to get away from him, that's our usual exchange. I didn't want to admit to myself, but I could feel a small hope inside of me that Malfoy and I wouldn't bet back to the hostile relationship we used to have before.

I'm such a messed up person, this boy plays with me so easily. But he does it because I let him do it or because he is good enough to not need my permission? I don't know.

But I could have find out if Roxy hadn't break through the Astronomy Tower in her Head Girl mode on.

"What the bloody hell?" I heard my cousin's voice.

"Roxy?" Malfoy asked, his tone the same one he uses when he has to pretend nothing is happening and wears his expressionless mask.

Oh no, Roxy screwed it up!

"ROSE" I heard Roxy's footsteps near me.

I have a heavy sleep, I couldn't get up with just a scream, Ella always has a tough job to wake me up, it would be suspicious if I don't act properly.

"ROSE" Roxy called me loudly "You are late for classes" she simply said.

I'm a terrible actress, I woke up right after she said it.

"Woke up really fast, uh?" Roxy asked me suspiciously. Damn it!

Malfoy was looking suspiciously to me as well, his blonde eyebrow arched questioningly to me.

Merlin's balls...

"What do you want?" I yawned and stretched my body "And why do you have to be so loud?" I complained.

"You are very hypocrite, Roxy" Malfoy remarked "Always complaining about James' loud manners, but..."

"You two stop babbling!" Roxy didn't look very pleased "I'm saving your ass, Ella is shit worried that you didn't sleep in your bed! Before she could look for Albus' map I found you, so come on before anyone notices!"

Roxy is really awesome.

"How did you know I would be here?" I asked innocently.

"Seriously, Weasel?" Malfoy looked incredulously at me "Oh yeah, I forgot that you are naive as fuck"

"You weren't complaining last night" I replied irritated, not looking in his eyes.

Merlin, are we back to this?

"Whoa! Listen, I don't want to know what happened last night between the two of you" Roxy said in a fierce tone.

Malfoy and I exchanged a funny and knowing glance, curiosity is a sin to our whole family, that's why secrets are hard to keep between the Weasleys and Potters. We actually giggled at Roxy, before being my Head Girl she is my cousin, my stubborn and curious cousin.

"Actually I want to know but right now you need to get back to your dorms before students head to the Great Hall for breakfast, Rosie" Roxy winked at me as a remember that we'll have to talk later.

"Yeah, fine" I agreed, I took Roxy's hand with me and headed to the Astronomy Tower's door. Roxy took the lead and before I went down the stairs I took a final glance to Malfoy, looking to me with his grey eyes and a grin on his face.

The last thing I saw before getting back to the Gryffindor Tower was Malfoy without his emotionless face, he allowed me to read him, and for that I knew that things had finally changed between us.

A shiver went down my spine just for thinking about it and I felt a beam in my lips when I remembered about last night.

* * *

The following days passed on very quickly, Roxy and I still have to talk about what she had seen on the top of the Astronomy Tower – she told Ella that she found me on the kitchens and I just agreed before getting back to sleep in my comfy bed. Also, I have to deal with Lily, and Dom, and Ella and Albus. I even feel lazy when I remember that I have to talk with so many people.

But that's what I do, I find out what is going on with my beloved family and friends.

That's why after classes had finished on Friday I went out looking for Lily Potter, and apparently everyone in this school keep an eye on her, because I just had to ask a few second years and they told me exactly where to find her.

"Lils" I called her as I took a seat by her side under a tree around the Black Lake.

"Oh, hi Rosie" Lily greeted me happily, she's so sweet "Good seeing you, you have disappeared these days" I know this tone in Lily's voice, she's trying to make me say something I wouldn't if she hadn't said it.

"I know your tricks, Lils" I giggled "And I don't fall for any of them"

"Damn it" she complained "You're just too clever"

"No, I'm not a boy or one of your male relatives" I pointed out, taking a look over her Potions book.

"That's crap" Lily said.

"What's exactly?" I was confused.

"Everybody falls for my charming and persuasive personality" first time I don't see Lily complaining about Potions when the book is on her lap, she usually almost throws it at me.

"Even Lorcan?" I used her weapons against herself.

"Hey!" Lily exclaimed "Not fair!"

"Yes it is, answer me" I demanded.

"You're so bossy" Lily frowned.

"Spit it out" happily Lily is used with my rude manners.

"Well, every night we go out and have a great snogging session and..." Lily seemed nervous now.

"What's up Lily?" I could sense worry in my voice and I bet she could too, we simply know each other too well "Is he forcing upon you?" I would kick his balls if he's doing so.

Lily looked at me with her big brown eyes, just like her mother's.

"No, I would kick his balls if he did, don't worry" I almost giggled with that, the girls in our family are though, nobody messes with us.

"Then what's wrong?" I asked her, Lily came to my side, embracing me like we used to when she was a toddler, I've always been the big sister she never had.

"It's just... I like the guy, everybody knows it" Lily said slowly "But apparently he doesn't know or he's just ignoring my feelings..."

"Have you both talked about it?" I asked, trying to understand what's going on, I hate when I don't get it.

"That's the problem Rosie!" Lily seems desperate right now "We don't talk! We don't spend time together!"

"What? Are you mental? You just said that you guys meet every night!" I'm really confused.

"Rosie, for Merlin's beard!" Lily was almost crying now, but she's such a strong girl that she never allows herself to cry while she feels that she can hold it "I think that it's just physical for him, you know? We snog, we touch each other, it's great and pleasurable, but that's all"

Now I got it, and my heart just clenched while seeing Lily's affliction.

"I wanted to... Talk with him, about anything and everything, I wanted to know more about him and that he wanted to know more about him, I wish we could share meals together and joke about how much I eat, I wanted to be able to meet him in the library so we could study together, and hold hands while we walk through the Castle" Lily was sniffing now, her pain radiating from her chest.

"Lils..." I simply don't know what to say.

"You don't need to say anything, because there's nothing to say" Lily murmured, she knows me way too well "Just hold me like he never did"

My heart broke when she said it, Lorcan is... A dead boy! Merlin's beard, is he stupid or what?

"I'm gonna kick his balls anyway" I muttered between my teeth, feeling really angry right now.

"No, you will not, and nobody can know about it" Lily demanded, she's bossy as well, why do I get the fame?

"Alright, I know you don't like anyone taking care of your business, but..."

"Rosie, I'll deal with him, I just had to talk about it with you" I noticed how she said 'you' and not 'someone'.

"Have you told it to someone else?" I asked.

"Actually no, I know that Alice is my best friend but currently she has her own problems and I don't want to add more to her" Lily sniffed again, accepting my handkerchief "Also, you are like a big sister to me, I know you would understand me and listen to me..." I noticed that she restrained herself from saying something she actually didn't intend to.

"And?" I pushed her forward.

"And you have an amount of spare time, right? Your life is quite tedious..." Lily said "I'm just kidding, don't feel insulted"

But I know that behind her joke there are real statements, my life has been quite tedious until sixth year, little did Lily know how different things are right now. Or anyone knows, actually.

Because indeed I've been disappearing during nights, but not to study like I've been telling everybody, even Ella, but to snog Malfoy and have a fun time together.

Weird it sounds, I know. But that's the truth, snogging and talking have been my nights since that Sunday Malfoy and I snogged in the corridor.

And although Lily is pouring her heart to me, I don't think I should open mine as well because, not only she has her own problems to deal with and therefore the focus shouldn't be me, as it's better to keep my encounters with Malfoy a secret, for mine and his sake and because there's nothing behind it, we are just... Enemies turned colleagues... I guess, or at least I keep telling myself.

"I never do, in our family we insult each other on daily basis" I giggled.

"It's how we show each other how much we love our family" Lily murmured, beaming lightly.

"But Lils, which problems Alice has?" I asked curiously "Which problems can you have at 14?" I asked myself now.

"She likes Matteo, but he doesn't know and she doesn't know how to tell him" Lily said "I know right, we are look-alike about it"

"Oh" that's all I said, Merlin are they all so dumb? Nobody notices each other's feelings? Couldn't they like the right person so they reciprocate their feelings?

I decided to not tell Lily that Matteo likes her, she already has too much on her head.

"You guys are quite a trio, uh?" I said instead.

"Yeah, we are really close" Lily said innocently "Matteo is my best friend, I know, too soon to say it perhaps, but he has been a constant in my life"

"But he pisses me off with his 'well' habit" I muttered.

"I think it's adorable, he's a little clumsy and insecure but he's also a lovely dude" she beamed to me.

Well, we could worry about this love triangle, square, or whatever it is, later.

"What are you gonna do then?" I asked Lily.

"Nothing..." Lily answered me.

"But Lily, it's not been good for you..." Lily Luna Potter has the power of letting me confused.

"I know, but I think I could get used to it, I like the guy, I rather to be with him than not to" she said, sounding desperate.

"But Lils" now I am sounding desperate "Have you thought about talking to him?"

"Yeah... But I think he will turn me down if I open my heart to him and..."

"Lils! Are you listening to yourself? You are submitting yourself to a horrible situation for a guy..."

"Rosie!" Lily seems furious now, her eyes shining bright with angst "It's not that simple!"

"Enlighten me, then" I demanded.

"I don't want him to break up!" she almost yelled, I had never seen her fall this hard for a guy before.

"But are you an item?" I asked, confused again.

"Hmm" Lily was caught off guard "No... But we have a thing, although it's just physical for him!" she wiped a few tears that came down moistening her face "I rather have this thing than have nothing"

I analysed Lily, although she's still so young she knows very well what she wants and what she likes. She never gives up on her things. In the end nobody can change her mind.

"I don't agree, you know it" I said slowly, taking care with my choices of words "But if that's what you want..."

"It is, Rosie" she said, not hesitating.

"Fine" I said reluctantly "But please take care of yourself... And please come talk to me anytime, right?"

"Well, you are being so unexpectedly polite that I promise you" Lily almost beamed, something still holding her back "Have faith in me, Rosie"

And then I noticed, I noticed that Lily needs me to believe her so she doesn't have to do it alone. Lily never enjoyed being alone, being one of the youngest children and growing up in such a crowded family, she's not used to loneliness. The oldest of our generation are more independent, like Vic, James, Fred, Roxy. Vic actually went to Hogwarts alone if it wasn't for Teddy, perhaps that's why she fell so hard and so early for Teddy, he was her closest family member in Hogwarts.

I tried to beam reassuringly to Lily, and this time I think that for her I pretended very well.

* * *

On Sunday morning Ella had no mercy and woke me up before the sun had risen up in the sky.

"Are you mental?" I muttered to my best friend.

"No, you promised that you would do it with me!" Ella retorted stubbornly.

"No, I didn't" I replied, walking behind her as we were heading to the Black Lake.

"Yeah, you did" Ella said, rolling her eyes.

"When?" I challenged her, a chocolate chip and vanilla muffin in my hands.

"When you were fighting with Albus for the last pudding last night during dinner"

"Ella! That's not fair!" I complained "I was distracted"

"I know, dear" Ella has no shame "That's why I did it this way"

"I'm just going to forgive you because you got me a basket of muffins" I said, distracted analysing my muffins. Ella is very clever, that's how she woke me up: the scent of baked muffins got me out of my bed.

"Of course" Ella agreed, she knows me very well and doesn't care anymore about my bad manners. Mum would say that I'm being rude, but I'm just hungry all the time, not my fault!

"What are we going to do? I forgot" I asked her, having to quick my pace to join her.

"Meditation at the sunrise" she answered me, holding two mats for us "And it's not that you forgot, you weren't paying attention to me but to your muffins"

"I'm not paying attention to anything, I'm sleepy" I complained.

"I know that you rather to be sleeping until midday" Ella said "But I think it might be good for you to experience getting in touch with your spiritual side"

"My spiritual side is unhappy, thank you very much" I answered stubbornly.

"Excellent! Then with our meditation at the sunrise your spiritual side will get as bright as your ginger hair" Ella beamed happily to me.

"Hmm" I muttered, not very happy.

Ella and I were seated on our mats at the border of the Black Lake, the sunrays finally rising from behind the mountains around us. Scotland is such a beautiful place, feels so much like home.

We stretched our bodies in all the possible ways, Ella helped me through the process. She says that I am naturally flexible but just don't practice, so that's why it pains so much or I'm a little clumsy while doing it.

When the sun finally appeared we were in a position that I had to balance myself only with my feet, my arms opened and eyes closed.

I couldn't stand the silence though. Being raised in such a crowded and loud family silence is something I find hard to get used to if I am not at the library.

"Ella" I whispered.

But she didn't answer me.

"Ella" I tried again.

I hate when she does it.

"Ella" I was feeling desperate now.

"What, for Merlin's beard?" she finally gave up on her silence.

"I hate silence..."

"... I f you're not at the library, I already know it" Ella whispered "But could we please calmly finish our Yoga session?"

She's so polite, how could I be rude with her?

"Fine" I said grumpily.

Probably another ten minutes passed, indeed the sound of the lake's small tide and birds singing were refreshing to me. I could feel the sun kissing my skin as we changed our positions again.

"Ella" I remembered that I had to ask her a few things.

"Rosie" she answered.

"What's going on between you and Albus?" I'm very pragmatic, I simply don't know how to say something without saying it explicitly.

"The same that is going on between Malfoy and you" Ella answered calmly.

Like if saying this is a normal thing.

Ella is such a weirdo, no wonder that she's one of Lysander's friends.

"What do you mean?" I asked, impressed that I managed to speak calmly.

"Is there any meaning beside a new friendship?" Ella opened one eye to look at me.

"Friendship?" I asked, trying to not let my voice tremble.

"What?"

"I don't know from where you had the idea that Malfoy and I are friends..." my giggle was nervous and came out as a cracking noise.

"Well, firstly, that's what Albus and I are, friends" Ella said without hesitation "Secondly, I'm not blind like Albus, I've noticed that you and Malfoy are less unbearable and more friendly, but knowing you the way that I do I know that it will take a long time for you to admit that you became friends with your greatest enemy since you were a first year student"

"So you and Albus are not flirting or anything like this?" I asked, insisting on the topic.

"No..." Ella said, and she says that she's not blind... Albus almost drools for her "But what if we were flirting?"

"Well, it would be awkward, but who am I to stop you, right?" I answered.

"Yeah, you wouldn't"

"But I would like to know from you if you were" I whispered, trying not to imagine my best friends dating.

"The same with you and Scorpius" Ella said in a funny tone, winking at me.

She knows that something is going on between Malfoy and I, but Ella knows me well enough to respect me and my weird personality, because when I'm ready I'll tell her.

"You are bloody brilliant, have I ever told you that?" I giggled, embracing Ella.

"Sometimes you do, but I forgive your neglecting behaviour as best friend" she embraced me back, tenderly kissing my cheek "Now, back to Yoga, Rosie"

I just shuddered. Yoga is not that bad, and the sunrise is worth it. More than that, spending some time with Ella is all that I needed.

* * *

Soon the end of September was near, and so was Roxy's first task at the Triwizard Tournament.

Right now all our crew was gathered at the Head's dormitory, and our crew I mean the whole family plus Malfoy, Harper, Ella and Liam.

"So..." Fred was saying.

"So I still don't know anything" Roxy said, trying to keep her temper under control.

"I wonder if Amelie found out anything..." Fred murmured.

"Shut up, Freddie!" Lucy exclaimed, the girl has a better head than him.

"Hm" James called our attention "Violet was saying that Billie Hampstead told her, that Louisa Smith told him, that Margot Whitehall told her, that Zachary Fillmore took Margot to the Black Lake and one of the mermaids said something about the Ministry interfering in their lake again after all those years"

"Brilliant, James" Molly complimented, how he remembered who told who was beyond our understanding.

"Violet is lovely, right?" Harper whispered so us around her, me, Dom, Roxy and Ella could listen to.

We just giggled at her sarcasm.

"The Black Lake?" Roxy asked to herself, not looking at any of us "Uncle Harry and aunt Fleur told me that in the last Triwizard Tournament the second task occurred in the Black Lake..."

"They took something important from them, right?" Louis asked, remembering our conversation with his mum and uncle Harry.

"Not something, Lou, someone" Albus corrected him.

"My aunt Gabrielle for maman, uncle Ron for uncle Harry, and aunt Hermione for Stan's father" Dom explained, she paid so much attention to the conversation that I am feeling ashamed for not knowing these details.

"Mum and Stan's father, you mean Viktor Krum?" Hugo asked Dom.

"What?" I don't know anything about it either.

"Yeah, aunt Hermione is quiet but she picks men very well" Dom giggled.

Hugo cheeks got crimson, just as mine.

"How weird, I just can't imagine aunt Hermione with someone else that not uncle Ron" Fred said.

"But I can imagine uncle Ron almost dying of jealousy while aunt Hermione is with Viktor 'The legend' Krum" James grinned.

Everybody laughed at that, indeed it was not something hard to imagine.

"Right, Black Lake, what's the plan then?" Liam asked us, getting the attention back to Roxy, who now was walking from side to side.

"Roxy needs to breath underwater" Lucy simply said, clever and fast girl.

"We need the intelligent ones" Albus said "Rosie, Scorp?"

I looked around the common room of the Head's dormitory, I could feel everybody's eyes on me.

I glanced to Malfoy, his beam wide to me.

Oh, I could feel myself melting inside. The effects he has on me.

"Malfoy?" I asked him.

And I felt everybody surprised that I didn't answer at the exact time and that I asked for Malfoy's help.

"We'll make some research tonight" Malfoy said in a serious tone, his face suddenly expressionless as everybody's attention turned from me to him.

"Yes, we'll do everything we can Roxy" I promised my cousin.

"Really? I could do it by myself but..." Roxy was saying, looking a little lost for the first time.

"Don't worry, you already have too much to do" I assured my cousin.

"We'll take care of it" Malfoy assured her as well.

"Alright, what the not intelligent ones can do to help our Triwizard champion then?" Dom asked sarcastically.

"Very well pointed out, Dom" James said.

"You could throw a party" Lucy said, leaving all of us surprised "Since that's what you do best"

"LUCY!" Molly reprehended her, while the rest of the family laughed.

"It wouldn't be Lucy if she didn't say something like this" Hugo remarked, messing Lucy's ginger hair.

"Well, I'm flattered with your recognition about our talent for throwing parties" James said in a funny tone.

"Dom, invite Amelie, please" Fred almost begged.

"Dom, invite Stan, please" Lucy said.

"LUCY!" Fred, James, Hugo, Louis and Albus exclaimed indignant.

"I want to be like her when I grow up" Ella said as all of us girls giggled after what Lucy said.

"Relax, Roxy" Liam said to her, kissing tenderly her forehead.

"Yeah, we'll do everything to have another Triwizard Champion in our family" Louis said.

"You folks are the best" Roxy beamed "Thank you, big heads"

"Hey!" everybody protested, even I did.

"Let's do it!" Dom, James and Fred exclaimed, heading out of the Head's dormitory to arrange a party.

"We'll give you more details about our party soon!" Dom warned us before disappearing in the portrait hole.

"Come on, Malfoy" I demanded him, trying to conceal the grin that was almost escaping my lips.

"You're so bloody bossy" I hear him complaining while following me toward the portrait.

"Oh, really?" Ella sarcastically remarked, making the rest of the family giggle behind us.

What can I say? I love this bunch of big heads and I could do everything for them, even research tirelessly how to make my cousin breath underwater for as much time as possible.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, folks! I hope you enjoy chapter 13! It's always a pleasure to me to get inside Rosie's head and write about her family and friends, I really have fun while doing it! I decided to give you my readers a longer chapter, please let me know what you think about it!

I would like to thank very much _songbird6802_ and _missfizwizbiz_ for their reviews about Chapter 12! I really appreciate your compliments and your cheerful words! I have to say that after I read your reviews I started writing Chapter 13 because both of you gave me the strength to keep writing a good story for you guys!

Also, I would like to thank very much all my other readers, that followed me and my story, those that favourited and everyone that left a review so I could read your kind words to me!

Please, let me know what you think about this chapter and from where are you from, I'm as curious as Rose and I bet she would keep asking you guys the same question over and over until everybody answers her!

Yours sincerely,

 _Binki_

Folks, what about **3 reviews** for a **double-update**?

 _Ps. I'm going to answer my reviewers here because when I do through Private Messaging I think you guys don't even know that I did it, so here we go:_

 _To songbird6802 – I'm glad that you loved the cliffhanger, I was wondering if you guys would get too mad that I ended the chapter this way! Hope that the next chapters keep your excitement to the others to come! And thank you very much for your review, I hope to not let you down with my work!_

 _To missfizwizbiz – Thank you, my lovely reader from France! I'm really glad that your reviewed to my story and that you are enjoying my plot and my characters! The hard work is always paid off with readers like you, I'm really glad with your words! Also I simply loved that you told me that you are from France! I've been in Paris a few years ago and look forward to get back soon! If you could please help me with some French expressions that I could use with my French characters I would be really grateful! Please, don't apologise for your English, I am not a native speaker as well but I'm really glad that we can use this language to communicate with each other! Hope to see more reviews of you about my next chapters and that my story doesn't let you down! Thank you for your kind words! _


	14. The Weasley misbehaviour

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothings, as I've said many times before. The Wizarding World belongs to the wonderful and talented Jo Rowling, I just try to write something with my ideas.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Fourteen – The Weasley misbehaviour**

Am I a perverted if I thought for one second while Malfoy and I were heading to the Library that we would snog senseless before doing our researches? Am I ridiculously pathetic if I felt a little disappointed when it didn't happen as I imagined it would?

No. I'm not mental. Because after noticing very quickly that I am not that kind of person I felt really satisfied that Malfoy and I were really serious about helping my cousin in her first task at the Triwizard Tournament.

We arrived in the Library one hour before curfew, but since we didn't have patrols tonight we decided to take James' invisibility cloak so we could find what we needed. I wanted to take the Marauder's Map with me but Dom had gotten it before me, why I don't know. Probably to sneak out secretly with one of her many lovers.

What I mean is that me, Rose Granger-Weasley, Head Girl wannabe, the Minister for Magic's daughter and perfect student, and Malfoy, my so called enemy, hideous partner of my school life – since we have been paired for everything: Potions, Prefect duties, helping Roxy -, and now the object of my sexual relief – please notice that I said 'object', not 'person'; also I said 'relief', not 'affection'; just to make things clear – we actually invaded the Library past curfew because we take our duties very seriously.

And also because although we are breaking the rules and we, as prefects, shouldn't be doing it, neither Malfoy nor I are used to being told what to do, even by the school's ancient rules.

I'm even feeling proud of us. I'm more proud than frustrated, so I'm fine.

"Merlin" Malfoy whispered, we were in the Charms section of the Library for the past two hours now, reading every book we could "There's something wrong..."

"What do you mean, genious?" I asked him, feeling disappointed that such an old book that I had gotten from the shelf didn't have the answer that I needed.

"There must be a simple spell for breathing underwater..." he whispered, irritation clear in his voice.

"Right, but..." I tried to interrupt him.

"It's impossible that we can't find a book here that talks about it..." he ignored me.

"That's what I've been..." I tried again because Weasleys never give up.

"You are annoying me trying to interrupt me" Malfoy said, his grey eyes fierce on mine.

Merlin, don't lose your track, Rose.

"You are annoying me, you are interrupting me!" I said angry, I hate when I can't talk because the other person just can't shut up her mouth.

"Weasley, you are such a..." Malfoy was whispering as I finally managed to interrupt him.

"YOU'RE A PRAT" I yelled annoyed.

"Shhh" Malfoy covered my mouth with one of his hands, muttering 'Nox' so the light coming from the tip of his wand was turned off.

I was almost biting his hand covering my mouth and insulting him for being such a perverted holding me like this when I understood why Malfoy did such a thing. Perhaps he is a perverted, but he also is very clever and watchful.

Footsteps could be heard from outside the Library, the sudden darkness making my spine shiver – I never enjoyed darkness -, Malfoy's warm breathe behind me the only thing comforting me now. How ironic.

"Come on" a girl's voice whispered, the footsteps now inside the Library.

Who would come so late at night in the school's library?

Malfoy let go off me to cover us with James's cloak, we had to bend our knees so our feet don't appear and keep ourselves close so we don't have to bend so much. For him it's worse than for me, because I already am tiny if compared to Malfoy and he's very tall.

"Shit" I said as the footsteps were getting closer to where we were.

Malfoy embraced me tightly with his arm around my waist, taking us to the end of the Charms section. Is it really necessary? What does it even mean?

Then I remembered that it's not time to overthink about Malfoy and I, I already do it too much and we are in an awkward situation right now.

We were cornered, invisible but still risking to be caught by whoever was disturbing our work.

"Look" the girl's voice said, familiar and annoying "Someone was researching around here" and then, when the light coming from her wand reached her face I gasped.

"Heather?" I asked myself, looking to Malfoy to assure myself that I was not raving.

"Shh" Malfoy reprehended me after I spoke a little louder than I intended.

"Who's there?" Heather pointed her wand where we were, at the end of the library section, but she couldn't see us.

"We shouldn't be here, Heather" another girl's voice said, shaking.

"Don't say my name, if someone is here..." Heather Nott was definitely doing something stupid, but I never guessed that she would do it at the library.

"The other girl is Heather's best friend, Lisa Banes" Malfoy whispered in my ear.

I just shot him a glance that should say 'I know, she is all the time with Heather although she is a lovely girl' and 'Don't say anything or they will know that we are here, genious'. But apparently he just felt scolded by my glance so he shut up. At least he understood half of what I meant to say.

"Whoever was here was looking for what we came to get" Heather murmured.

"What the bloody hell?" Malfoy asked himself. Even I don't have the answer this time.

How does Heather know what we were looking for and why does she want to get it as well?

"It's wrong!" Lisa protested in vain.

"Shut up!" Heather scolded her 'best friend', how could you treat a friend like this I will never know "Just help me to find the three books and we're done! I hid them earlier this morning but apparently someone found and put them back to their places"

"What do you earn for doing it?" Lisa asked curiously, but still helping Heather to look for the books written in a small piece of parchment.

"You know very well" Heather replied.

"Actually no, I don't" Lisa said "You want too many things"

Damn it. I was almost taking off the cloak to ask her again what she would win by taking a few books without permission. I've always found this girl mental. And incredibly annoying and indelicate. I also am indelicate but she has no manners. Just like what she asked Teddy in our first DADA class. Not only Heather has no filter as she is incredibly mean, she did that on purpose of mocking him and I would never forgive her for being such a prat.

"We cannot let her do it!" I protested with Malfoy.

"But we are as wrong as her, Weasel, all of us are in the library past curfew" Malfoy said very rationally.

Oh, he pisses me off.

"We still cannot let her do it!" I protested again "Can't you see, Malfoy? She said that she came to get what we were looking for... Three books, information..."

"... So for some reason she knows about the task and is trying to sabotage it..." Malfoy finished my sentence.

If he were my boyfriend I would find it cute, but since he is not nor will ever be it is creepy and uncomfortable.

"Ten points to Slytherin" I said sarcastically, the tension clear in my voice.

When I feel the need to think fast and take a decision sometimes my nerves almost get over me, but I always find a way to restrain myself from panicking.

"What do we do then, genious?" Malfoy asked me.

Malfoy asked me for a solution instead of throwing one at my face.

We really are growing up, right?

"Do you remember Teddy's classes?" I asked him urgently, praying that I don't have to explain everything again to Malfoy since we don't have that much time.

"Of course I do, he's bloody brilliant" Malfoy said, and I could notice a hint of affection in his voice.

"Right, he highlighted how sometimes the best self-defence is to not expose yourself in the battlefield..." I whispered quickly, my brain storming with ideas.

"Got it!" Malfoy grinned mischievously, he and Al are the masters of shadows, sometimes they get in trouble and no one notices that they were the troublemakers. Probably a Slytherin trait. "But how do we distract them?" he asked me, trying to find an answer himself.

Since my uncle George gave it to me I've been keeping it in my pocket, everything that my uncle gives me or is very useless or is extremely necessary in a certain occasion.

This time the small 'stone' he gave to me at the Platform 9 ¾ would be so useful that I almost cried with emotion, but of course there's no time to thank Merlin for how perfect things are when moments like this happen.

"This is a Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder, my uncle has been importing it since the beginning of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes..." I was saying and then he had to complete my sentence, again!

"...and it's resistant to many light-casting spells!" Malfoy almost said it too loud "How do you have it without knowing we would need it?"

I was almost scolding him for completing my sentence again, but that's not the time to complain about Malfoy's manners, not when we have to deal with bad students trying to steal school's items.

"That's how I have it, you never know when you'll need it" I winked at him, excited with the adrenaline of doing a mischievous thing, it's been a long time that I haven't been in action.

"Shall we?" I asked him, determination clear in my voice. Heather and Lisa wouldn't achieve what they were so eager to get.

Malfoy agreed with me with a nod of his head, and then things happened really fast.

I threw the Peruvian Powder where Heather and Lisa were just as they had found the three books they wanted, where two wands had a light in their tips now was complete darkness. Malfoy and I used the same spell, 'Wingardium Leviosa', to levitate the books towards us, embracing them tightly in our bodies as we run quickly out of the Library, the cloak firm in Malfoy's hand.

Just as we turned the corner of the end of the corridor Malfoy put the cloak back over us, the books still firmly in our arms. We kept running to the Head's dormitory while we could hear Heather's exclamation of anger and disbelief.

Malfoy and I entered quickly the dormitory since Roxy had given me the password and we collapsed on the nearest couch, giggling hard from our little mischief and Heather's reaction.

"Shhh" I composed myself, scolding Malfoy but failing in keeping a serious facade "Roxy is asleep"

"Merlin's balls" Malfoy was breathing hard, but didn't seem exhausted from our adventure, on the contrary, he was looking rather good: dishevelled platinum blonde hair that made him look relaxed, glittering grey eyes shining in excitement, an spontaneous beam and untidy school uniform – his tie loose around his neck and his buttons undone revealing his pale but firm chest. I hate people that are always looking good. I'm probably a sweaty mess, my hair now in a bun to cool down my heated body.

Malfoy was looking to me, I noticed after analysing each inch of him. I averted my eyes from him, thinking he would do the same after being caught looking at me. But no, Malfoy always surprises me, I could still feel his eyes, now analysing all of me like I did to him. Surprisingly I didn't feel uncomfortable or that I had to punch him in the face for doing such thing.

Surprisingly I felt even more warm by the look is his eyes while watching me, I was now watching him watching me. As awkward as it sounds, it doesn't seem awkward right now. It's like if we were meeting another side of each other, taking every inch of this new side and not embarrassed of admitting we were really doing it.

It's strange to say but since we started to sneak out to snog we also have spent quite a great time together, allowing ourselves to know each other and I could feel that we were getting comfortable in each other's company. As Ella had said, we were almost like friends.

I don't know how to label Malfoy and I, friends? If friends, friends with benefits, then? Or just colleagues? Or perhaps objects to relief our sexual frustration? Anyway, I never cared for labels. And no one knows anything about us, so I'm fine.

Actually Roxy caught us and we've been trying to talk about it but she's just so busy that we still haven't found the proper moment yet. But my cousin is decent enough to keep my secret safely with her, she's such a honourable and reliable person that my heart even aches with affection for her.

Even more strange is to be able to read Malfoy through his not-anymore-expressionless-face and identify lust in his grey piercing eyes, and not the usual or expected distaste. I've been feeling so desired by him that I've been getting crimson more than usual, still incapable of hiding the effects he has over me since my body always replies to him spontaneously.

Like it had never happened before, and that's what scares me. And what makes me feel that I shouldn't think so much about it.

"Malfoy" I called him to remember myself why we are here.

"Weasel" he replied, his eyes now to mine, a mischievous grin still on his lips.

Merlin, I adore this new mischievous side of him, it's so attractive that I am almost taking him by his tie to snog his plump lips.

"Did you lose something in my mouth?" he asked me with a funny tone, almost arrogant but not so annoying as it used to be.

Blimey! I hate when he corners me like a frightened little puppy. I'm a Gryffindor, for Merlin's beard!

"Did you lose something in my body?" I replied in the same coin, not caring for being reckless with my words.

Malfoy gulped but kept his eyes staring mine, still full of lust. Merlin, sometimes this boy looks like a Gryffindor, and I will never forgive myself for saying it.

"We have work to do" Malfoy said simply, grinning mischievously as he noticed my frustrated expression for his reply.

I hate him! I rolled my eyes, pissed off at him, and got the first book to my lap, a big, leather-clothed one, apparently old but seeming untouched.

"When you allow yourself to do what your inner self wants you will feel empowered, Weasel" Malfoy muttered while his eyes were reading the other book, a green one with a hard cover.

"Do you allow yourself, genious?" I asked him, looking fiercely to his averting eyes.

Malfoy stayed quiet for a while, his face apparently expressionless, his eyes still looking fiercely to the pages of the book.

I really wanted to push him further, but I didn't want to fight. My curiosity couldn't get over my rationality.

"I've been trying" Malfoy admitted, his eyes now over mine, grey eyes shining with sincerity.

I would never forget that perhaps thanks to Heather Parkinson-Nott I read sincerity in Malfoy's eyes. I just beamed to him, my eyes dropping back to the old book, suddenly feeling shy, but the beam never leaving my face.

* * *

Malfoy and I, after a long Thursday/Friday night searching through hundreds of books and finally after we read those three books by whole in the Head's common room, we found different ways that Roxy could use to breath underwater. From those three books, two were of Charms and the other one of Herbology.

We felt really pathetic to not have considered those possibilities before. Also, I know that I could have asked uncle Harry and aunt Fleur but if Roxy didn't do it I shouldn't dare to do. Malfoy thinks that Roxy wants to do things on her own, without her famous uncle and aunt to help so much. It's Roxy after all, she's very independent.

So it's not a surprise that I was almost dying during classes on Friday. I was so asleep that my inner self was telling me to quit classes today and take a nap in my comfortable bed.

"Merlin, Rosie" Dom said astonished during lunch "You look horrible"

"The lack of finesse in this family really amazes me" Ella murmured before filling her mouth with lettuce.

"And you still didn't get used to it" Fred scolded Ella playfully, messing her hair and making her roll her eyes.

"I also didn't and I am a Weasley" Lily said, Lorcan looking unimpressed beside her.

There's something about them together that makes me nervous, even before Lily told me how much she likes him but also how much their relationship hurts her.

I just can't look at them and not feel angry and frustrated, Lorcan should be more responsible before dating younger girls like Lily.

Perhaps both Scamander brothers are out of this world, and just poor Lysander gets all the fame.

"Actually you're a Potter" Louis mocked Lils, that's an old family joke. Since there's only aunt Ginny, her children are the only ones in the family that don't have 'Weasley' as last name, for a time Lily used to complain about being different from her cousins, but after our family told her about the history behind the 'Potter' last name she has been so proud of being a Potter that she stopped complaining.

Lily matured but the boys take longer, right?

"I knew that you would mock me about it, Lou" Lily said in an arrogant tone "That's why I'm ignoring your failed attempt to get on my nerves"

Dom, Ella, James, Fred, Lucy and I giggled at them after seeing Louis' grumpy face and Hugo's supportive one, always comforting his best friend and cousin Louis.

"Don't you dare, Lucy Weasley" Molly said as she took a seat beside her younger sister who was ready to throw a meat ball at Louis' face with her spoon.

"Molls, please, don't mess with my mess again" Lucy complained, scolding her big sister for scolding her for almost doing something wrong.

"Lucy is truly Weasley" James said proudly, throwing himself the meat ball at Louis' face.

"James! That's why Lucy has tendencies for mischief, you are such a bad example..." Molly complained.

"Actually our blood and DNA have tendencies for mischief..." Fred was explaining when he was interrupted by his twin sister.

"But some of us are variances to this behaviour pattern" Roxy grinned mischievously at Fred's face – how ironic -, they are twins but polar opposites, still they have a very affectionate and supportive relationship.

"Oh no, the Head Girl is here" Louis mocked, earning a tender kiss from Roxy on his head.

"The Head Girl will head after dinner to our party" Dom said playfully, giggling at her own joke. A terrible one, indeed.

"What?" Roxy asked them as she and Liam took a seat with us at the Gryffindor table.

"What do you mean with 'what'?" Dom asked incredulously.

"Lucy gave us the idea to throw a party tonight!" James remembered her.

"Oh, right, but you don't expect me to go, right?" Roxy asked James, who pretended to be hurt by her question.

"You are the star of the night!" Fred said, showing his sister one of the pamphlets he, James and Dom had done to announce the party. They said it would be huge and were not lying, they never hand out pamphlets, one student tells others and then everybody knows that there will be a party.

"Star?" Roxy asked grumpily, she probably expects something that she actually doesn't want to happen.

"Look!" James put the pamphlet literally on her face.

Roxy froze and handed it to Liam, who handed it to me afterwards.

The pamphlet said in bright blue and red colours 'GO ROXY' – A MASSIVE PARTY TO SHOW OUR SUPPORT TO THE HOGWARTS' CHAMPION, and then the words changed to FREE ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES.

"Wow, free alcoholic beverages?" Liam asked surprised, apparently no one could resist this type of merchandising.

"What the bloody hell?" Roxy didn't look pleased though.

"Sis, don't worry, the students will come for you, not for the beverages..." Fred tried to assure her, but Roxy's angry expression didn't change at all.

"Who supported this noble cause?" I asked my cousins in disbelief, I don't know if they remember but beverages cost money and although our family has improved a lot since the Second Wizarding War nobody here is rich enough to pay for free beverages like if it is not expensive.

"Our sponsors asked to keep their identities a secret" Dom replied before Fred and James could open their big mouths, very clever of her.

"Anyway, I'm not going" Roxy said while filling her plate with food.

"WHAT?" James, Fred and Dom yelled, getting other student's attention.

"You can't do it, not only we assured everyone that you will be there as the party is a tribute to you" James was almost freaking out, if he worried so much about his studies as he does about his parties...

"Well, you should have talked to me before spreading uncertain facts around the castle" Roxy said harshly, I could feel her tense.

My theory is that everybody thinks – even our cousins - that Roxy - the perfect girl - is pretty much chill about the tournament, after all, she is Roxanne Weasley. But nobody asked her about it, they just affirm what they think they know about her based on what they see.

I really have to talk with Roxy about it later. And about Scorpius, she's not stupid, she probably supposes that something is going on between us.

"But we talked about the party in front of you!" Fred protested indignantly.

"Well" Roxy got up angry "You didn't ask me if I would like this stupid party to be throw on my tribute and much less if I wanted to go..." she then raised her voice but not so much so the whole Great Hall could listen to her "... OR REMEMBERED THAT I HAVE A TASK IN THE TRIWIZARD FREAKING TOURNAMENT IN LESS THAN TWO DAYS!" Roxy gave her brother a final glance and disappeared from the Great Hall before we could call her name.

"You guys really don't manage the art of a finesse approach..." Ella muttered, almost making me giggle.

"Don't" I restrained Liam from going after her "I'll talk to her" I said to him reassuringly.

Liam just nodded to me, knowing that sometimes Roxy needs her female cousin's comforting.

As I ran after Roxy, I noticed Malfoy staring curiously at me and then nodding with his head like if supporting my actions.

I found it extremely comforting, like if I could count on him.

Weird, but not creepy.

"ROXY" I called my cousin as she was running toward the Black Lake, under a tree that all our family liked to take a rest during summer "WAIT!"

"WHAT?" Roxy asked me as she collapsed on the grass, tears streaming down her face.

I had never seen my cousin cry. And it's not because she restrains herself and manages to swallow her cry, but because she never feels the need to cry, she always finds other ways to deal with her emotions, but never cries.

Never until now.

I embraced her tightly, combing her hair delicately.

Roxy was not sobbing, but I could feel all the tension being released from her body.

"Thanks, Rosie" Roxy said, wiping her tears with the back of her hand.

"You don't have to" I said to her, releasing her from my embrace so she could compose herself like I know she wanted to do.

"Yes, I do" she said "I've been trying to deal with all of this but I'm feeling a mess" Roxy confessed.

"Why didn't you come to talk to me?" I asked frustrated, I hate when my friends and family don't try to look for help when they need it.

"I don't know..." Roxy said, her voice fragile as I had never seen "Most of you have been so happy and putting so much expectations over me about the Triwizard Tournament and having another Triwizard Champion in the family that I didn't want to disturb all of you"

Even the almost perfect of people have to deal with a defect: being almost perfect. It's such a heavy burden to bear that I don't know how mum does it, or Roxy, or Victoire, or even me sometimes...

"I think that people expect so much of us that sometimes we forget about ourselves" I said loudly what has always been in my mind "But Roxy, it's okay to not want to deal with it anymore" and as I tried to release my cousin from her burden, I noticed how I was also releasing myself from mine.

"I don't know if it's okay, have you seen their faces when I said about not going to the party?" she asked me uncertain.

Roxy being uncertain, still a foreign vision to our family.

"Well, as Ella has said before, our family has an astounding lack of finesse..." I tried to be delicate, but it's not my forte "If you told them what you are telling me perhaps they would understand and not push you to do something you don't want to"

"You're right, but I don't know if I want to expose myself so much..."

"Roxy, we are your family, we will not judge you or scold you for being who you are" I said tenderly, my heart swelling with all the love I fell for my cousins "I mean, you would be the last one to be judged, look at all the wrong cousins we have, they have so much flaws and weird personalities..."

"I know, right?" Roxy giggled lightly.

"But that's why our family is so special... We really support and love each other, we would never let anyone down, never!" I assured her.

"Thank you, Rosie" Roxy beamed to me, her beam really reaching her eyes, making me breath relieved "I already know what I have to do"

"That's the Roxy I know!" I cheered, embracing my cousin one last time before we started walking back towards the castle.

"But Rosie, about you and Malfoy, whatever is going on between the two of you, because there is something, you look happier and less worried, in a good way" Roxy said, making me gulp in expectation, what does she know? And do I really look... Better? Because of Malfoy? "If you wanted to talk about it I know that you would have come to me already, so don't worry, I will not tell anyone about what I've seen and what I think" she embraced me tightly "But whenever you want to talk about it don't hesitate to come to me, alright?"

I just nodded, relief running through my veins. I didn't want to talk about it know and have to think about all those questions.

I'm so bloody blessed, Roxy and Ella know me so well that they are respecting my weird personality and letting me know that they are by my side when I wish to open up to them about Malfoy and I. I really have such a marvellous best friend and an amazing cousin, I noticed relieved. Feeling the burden lighter to bear, I walked back to the castle with Roxy as she called the whole family to the Head's dormitory to talk about what happened at the Great Hall.

But indeed Roxy knew what she had to do.

After she opened up herself with her brother and our cousins and after everyone embraced her tightly and reassured her that we will always support her, and everybody compromised to talk more about ourselves with each other, she announced that she'll go to the party for an hour or so because she wants to prepare herself to the first task but also doesn't want to let Fred, James and Dom down after they put so much effort in a party that is a tribute to her.

Roxy also said that she needs a butterbeer to relax after such a tense month. I giggled with my cousins as we surprisingly heard Roxy saying these words.

"What you guys lack of finesse you have of madness, seriously" Ella said as we were walking to our last class of the day, finally.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Chapter 14 is here, folks! I hope you like it, I intend to post every week, but my mind is full of ideas for Chapter 15 so probably I will update very soon!

I would like to thank the three Guests that reviewed to Mischief Managed, your reviews make me really glad and mean a lot to me! Seriously, after the last review I got I finished writing this chapter very quickly! So I'm not kidding when I say that reviews make me keep up with my writing! I hope to read more what you my readers think about my story!

Just to finish, I'm gonna reply my reviewers here:

To _Guest 1_ for _Chapter 8_ – I hope to not have disappointed you, but although Rose and Scorpius are the main characters of this story, I also want to write about the Weasley family, I thought it would be proper to have Roxy as our Triwizard Champion. Also, just seventh years were allowed to put their names in the Goblet of Fire, Scorpius and Rose are sixth year students, so they couldn't be part of the Tournament!

To _Guest 2_ for _Chapter 13_ – Merlin, I'm so glad that you think that Mischief Managed is the best Scorose fanfic you have ever read! Seriously, I'm honoured with your words! Also I'm glad that you enjoy reading about Rose's inner self conflicts, I was worried about it but now I am not anymore! Thank you so much for your review, you make me keep up!

To _Guest 3_ for _Chapter 13_ – Thank you for your review, I'm glad that you love the way my fanfic is going, I'm putting so much effort into it that your review and kind words about my writing abilities are my greatest reward! As I've said above, I'll try to update every once in a week, but sometimes if I spend a longer time without updating, when I do it I update two chapter right after the other! So keep an eye on my story to not lose the updates!

Without further ado,

 _Binki_


	15. Junk of the Heart

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, just some random ideas that I type here.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Fifteen – Junk of the Heart**

I was in front of the mirror of my bathroom, actually the one that I share with Ella, Dom and other two sixth year Gryffindor students, Emma Lennox and Effie Pritchard. We weren't exactly friends but we have a very friendly relationship considering that we have been sharing dorms since first year.

I'm not very close to Emma, but I simply adore Effie, she has such a personality that I sometimes feel envy of her. Effie just doesn't care about rules, she's a troublemaker, a rebel of the system. She has a short hair that every month has a different colour, right now is turquoise blue in Teddy's honour, he giggled when she told him so. Also, Effie is fascinated by music and plays many different instruments; she is an average student but has an incredible talent for magical creatures. She's so lovely under this tough appearance that even Hagrid adores her. Sometimes when he invites my family to meet him for tea time Effie accompanies us.

Louis and Hugo have a thing for her, but she pretends that she doesn't know and just plays around with them. I already asked her to not toy so much around with them, but it's Effie, she does whatever she wants.

That's why Effie and Dom are very good friends, but not that much because also they fight all the time. My theory and Ella's is that they are so much alike that they can't stand each other, what I mean is that by doing so they can't indirectly stand themselves. When Ella and I talked to them about it they told us to sod off, at the same bloody time.

Tell me more about it.

"Rosie, what are you doing?" Effie asked me, entering our bathroom and taking off her muddy clothes to take a shower.

"I'm just facing myself in the mirror?" I asked confused, is it so weird for me to be doing so?

"You never do it" Effie said simply, she is never ashamed of nudity so she was naked behind me without hesitating.

"I've never done many things that I am doing this year..." I muttered to myself, still facing me in the mirror.

"What do you mean?" Effie asked curious, getting into the bathroom box.

"Hm, nothing" I replied distracted, wondering how I should put my hair "Why are you so muddy?" I asked to change the subject from me.

"I was hunting for colourful frogs in the Black Lake with your brother and other fifth year students" Effie replied loudly due to the shower's noise.

"Yeah, Hugh really loves magical creatures" I murmured distracted.

Perhaps a ponytail? Or a bun? Or let my hair loose?

Make up I never use, so I was not even considering, but I wanted to feel beautiful tonight, not simple and plain Rose Weasley. Every day I am simple and plain Rose Weasley.

"I can braid your hair, Rosie" Effie said, her voice muffed. She indeed has an incredible ability for hairstyling, I almost forgot it.

"What?" I asked, so surprised that my towel dropped to the floor.

"I'm saying that I can help you" Effie murmured patiently.

"How do you know?" I asked surprised, putting the towel back firmly around my body.

"You were brushing your hair with your fingers?" Effie asked confused.

Oh, fine, now I'm sounding crazy.

"Yeah, right, please" I said.

"Wait me a few minutes and I'll be outside soon" Effie commanded, I just obeyed because I need to find fine clothes to wear tonight.

"What took you so long?" Dom asked me as I got back to our dorm.

She was stunning, her hair tousled on purpose in a sexy manner – how she does it I'll never know -, her beautiful blue eyes highlighted with the black eyeliner around them, her lips red from a lipstick she bought in a muggle store in Paris, her short jeans skirt showing her long pins, a loose crop top of the Holyhead Harpies that left her midriff bare and a white sneaker that soon would get dirty.

"Effie is saving my day, but she's a little late" I replied, not understanding how Dom could manage to be so effortlessly gorgeous, must be the veela genes.

"Effie, that bastard" Dom mocked playfully, that's their dynamic, always friendly mocking with each other.

Roxy and Ella say that sometimes they seem to be flirting, I said that I had never noticed and the answer I got is that I'm too lazy to notice subtle meanings like flirting. That's why I don't do it, Fred agreed.

I just rolled my eyes at Dom's foolishness.

"What do you think, do I looking fine?" Dom asked me, turning around herself so I could have a glimpse of her for full.

"Fine?" I asked incredulously "You're joking, right?" she doesn't have a mirror to look at herself?

"You look hot, although I look more than you" Effie entered the bedroom wearing a long and loose plaid shirt with her black combat boots, her eyes as black as Dom's make up.

You see, to me Effie is just being funny, not flirting.

"Sod off, Effie" Dom rolled her eyes "I have to go already, Fred and James must be waiting for me and I have final touches to do"

"Your cousin is a bitch sometimes" Effie playfully said, making me giggle although I don't like the term. But knowing Effie for so long I know she's just playing around, like she does with everybody "Now, let me help you, what are you gonna wear?"

"I don't know..." I was feeling really lost right now.

I never tidy myself too much for parties, I often go to parties but I do it in my plain clothes, like jeans and a t-shirt.

But Dom, Fred and James are doing such advertising about this party, the Triwizard Champions and the foreign students that this time it's different.

I was looking thoughtfully through my clothes, wondering which would fit me better tonight. I didn't have much, just a few shorts, two skirts, pants – many of them, t-shirts – many of them as well -, two beanies and my usual Gryffindor scarf. That's when I found it, a long skirt that my mum brought to me from Greece when she travelled for a meeting, with a slit on the right side until the middle of my thigh, a light colour that looks like white but has a cream tone, handmade and beautiful.

Aunt Fleur and uncle Harry went to this meeting as well, now I understand why, and she gave me as gift a marine blue lace crop top that I found perfect to match the skirt. My mum and aunt Fleur swore to me that they didn't buy them together. Now it seems hard to believe.

"Girl, get my sandal and go dress up, you will look as hot as Dom" Effie said as she started braiding my long hair.

Her fingers were gentle as she was working with my ginger hair, and I closed my eyes as I was enjoying it.

I remembered about yesterday, Malfoy and I working so well together to help Roxy. His words surprising me. What could I expect of tonight?

We hadn't gone to a party since we started making out, at least not together. I was curious to know how we would act around other students. I have to say that I don't know how to act. I have never experienced a... Relationship?... like this, and I couldn't find any books to help me tonight.

Perhaps if I told Ella and Dom, they could help me, enlighten me with their experiences. Not that Ella has many, but apparently she always knows the best way to deal with things, any sort of things.

"Have you seen Ella, Effie?" I asked suddenly worried.

"Oh, don't worry, she's probably still around the Black Lake with your cousin Albus and Malfoy and that Scamander boy" Effie said.

Malfoy? Oh, right, he is always with Albus. But he is probably pretty much without having another thing to do if he had to stay with Ella and Lysander as well.

Don't get me wrong, Ella and Malfoy actually get together pretty well, Ella is lovely with everyone after all. But he still finds her and Lysander very odd people to hang out with.

"Lysander?" I asked, returning to the conversation.

Merlin, even when Malfoy is not around he finds a way to be inconvenient, I almost left Effie talking alone.

"Is he the weird loony one?" Effie asked me curiously as I agreed to her question "I find him hot, but I've tried to flirt with him and he just didn't get it, he seems like a never grown up child"

I had to giggle with that observation, I think the same thing, less the hot part. But I just can't say it loud because Ella is a firm defender of his honour.

"I wonder if Ella already got him, if you know what I mean" Effie divagated "I have so much curiosity to know if under this weird boy there is a wild lover in bed"

"EFFIE" I protested incredulously, not restraining my chuckles because this girl is really mad and has a dirty mind.

"What, Rosie?" she asked innocently "I think my curiosity is getting the best of me, I'm gonna try again with... Lysander, right?" oh Merlin, Effie is nuts!

I was almost asking about Lorcan, but I couldn't stand him anymore after talking with Lily. Ninety percent of the time I wanted to punch his pretty face, but Lily would murder me if I did so. The thing is that I feel that most of the time he is just playing around with Lily although he knows how she is: she's young and falls in love fast. Yet he doesn't seem to notice, or if he does, then he doesn't care.

"Ella may murder you if you play with the poor boy" I murmured, giggling with my own thoughts.

"Ha!" Effie chuckled playfully, she never takes anything seriously, sometimes she seems to never have grown up "I need to ask her what about her love life, she can't have everyone"

"What do you mean, crazy?" I asked her.

"She already has Albus on the palm of her hand, and yet doesn't do anything; she has Lysander on her feet, and yet treats him like a baby brother; a Ravenclaw boy asked me about her recently, and later I saw both talking at the library..." Effie loves to gossip, she wants to know from me about things she doesn't know, and who better than the best friend of her gossip.

I didn't say anything, already knowing Effie's strategy. But indeed Ella had been very much a constant and a wanted person in many boys' lives. Which is weird because it never happened before. I mean, Albus always found her interesting, Lysander has always been one of her closest friends, but other guys never paid much attention to her... Until now.

Apparently summer holidays were kind to her, a Slytherin boy told me when he also asked where he could find her. I told him to sod off, she has always been beautiful and with an outstanding personality, boys are just stupid to see it... Until now, then. I don't know what happens inside their minds, until last year every male student found Ella weird and peculiar, now she's stunning and bright.

Adolescence is a weird phase in our life, indeed.

* * *

As I was walking alone to the Room of Requirement, an hour before curfew, I found many students going the same way, but I was wondering where the bloody hell was my family.

I mean, they are so many that I just couldn't believe that I had stumbled at any of them yet.

Knowing them as much as I do, I bet that many already are at the party getting crazy and having fun with their friends. My family is not very good at getting on important meetings in time, but when there was a party they were one of the first to arrive. On this case I was the opposite, I'm always on time for important meetings, but at parties I arrive later.

Suddenly, as I walked past a corner of a desert corridor I felt a strong hand getting around my arm, the other covering my mouth before I could yell of surprise.

The hold was strong around me, dragging me to the desert corridor. This made me get on my defence mode, so before I could look into the person's face, I elbowed its ribs very hard and stepped with my feet on the person's own feet. I earned an angry yell and a frown on the person's pretty face.

"Damn it, Weasel" Malfoy protested, his hand covering his ribs painfully "You're bloody tough!"

"Malfoy!" I almost yelled, but remembered that no one could see us here together "What the bloody hell are you doing?" I asked exasperated.

"Getting your attention" he simply said, now caressing his feet.

"What a stupid way to do it, genious!" I said sarcastically, but I softened a little after he said it.

"You seem like a troll when you act like this!" He complained, his frown still there, pain clear in his voice.

"Excuse me?" I couldn't believe we were back to this, him insulting me, I yelling at him for doing it.

"I said you remind me of a troll due to your manners" Malfoy said in a sarcastic tone, making me get even more angry. Rage getting over me, my brow arched with disbelief.

These times that I wonder how could I let myself get involved with someone like Malfoy. His appearance can't pay for his lack of politeness and his wonderful ability to piss me off every bloody day.

"You look stunning, by the way" Malfoy said nonchalantly, like if a compliment coming from him to me was something not strange at all.

It's one of the weirdest things I've ever heard.

And yet it made me blush.

I am really pathetic.

Each time it gets clearer to me.

"Wha-what?" it was all that I managed to say.

Damn, I couldn't let him know the effect that he sometimes has over me. It's embarrassing and wrong. He shouldn't affect me at all.

"I said" Malfoy muttered, his eyes never leaving me as he couldn't stop analysing me, from head to toe "You look" he was getting near to me slowly, I noticed, again getting me caught between his body and the cold stone wall behind me "Stunning"

"Are you..." I was trying to find a word, if I was speechless because of the astonishment of being complimented by Malfoy or because of the proximity of his strong and masculine body with mine I don't know "Mad?" probably because of both.

"I can't believe you're ruining the moment" Malfoy muttered as his face was so close to mine that I could feel his fresh and delicious scent, so fancy and so his.

He didn't seem angry though, he giggle with fun.

"What moment?" I asked confused, but giggling with him.

"Weasel, have you never flirted before?" he asked me a little pissed off, but still in a funny tone.

"Of course I have" I said almost insulted, just because I'm not so experienced as him it doesn't mean I don't have any experience at all "What do you want?"

"Oh" he said, his eyes getting darker, his voice getting rougher, his body getting tense under my touch as I placed my right hand over his torso "You should never ask me that"

"Why?" I challenged him, my body replying to his as I felt a shiver getting down my spine, my mouth dry and opened and my breath gasping.

"Because right now I want many things..." he placed a light kiss beside my mouth "... that I shouldn't want" he place another kiss on the other side of my mouth.

"You should stop teasing me" I said almost breathless, Merlin, the effects he has over me.

"Why?" he challenged me this time.

I've always loved to argue with Malfoy, I have to admit.

But since we started snogging around the castle, I'm enjoying even more playing games like this with him. Games that we end up snogging.

"Because I get what I want?" I asked simply, getting his lower lip between mine as I bit it firmly.

His reaction was immediate, a rough moan came out of his throat, making me press aggressively my tongue over his lips, savouring his taste.

Merlin, I never get tired of doing it.

I love being in control, and tonight I felt powerful enough to be and not let him get control over the situation anytime soon.

"You don't look bad yourself" I said nonchalantly, how I managed to do that I don't know, must be the adrenaline and the lust, because Malfoy was looking bloody hot tonight.

He already looks like this on daily basis, but tonight he was even more.

I just adore when he lets his hair tousled, like Dom he also is effortlessly gorgeous, but he doesn't have any veela genes. Ten points to Slytherin! He was wearing a dark grey long sleeve shirt with a hood, but the sleeves were pushed up to his strong biceps. The same ones I slept on the other day.

What a marvellous nap.

His jeans were low on his waist, letting me see his waistband and the colour of his underwear. Grey. I wonder which type he uses.

Merlin, he looks so casual and yet so hot, and his lips moving according to mine were making me feel hotter as time passed.

I never notice how time is doing when I'm snogging him, so eager and so desperate that before I could notice his hand were below my waist, placed firmly on my butt.

I decided to take even more control over him and roughly changed our positions, now he was between my warm body and the cold stone wall. I noticed how a shiver went down his spine, his body trembling with excitement.

I could feel his arouse under his pants, before I could think clearly I pressed myself even more to his body, feeling how hard he was down there.

His right hand pressed firmly my butt, making me moan in response. Merlin, the things he does to me.

I cheekily bit his earlobe before trailing kisses down the side of his throat, feeling his pulse pumping hard under my tongue, savouring the taste of his skin.

Malfoy was as breathless as me, his eyes closed as I took notice of his appearance. His hair even more tousled, his cheeks crimson, his mouth opened with plump lips. I did it to him, and under an impulse I sucked hard the skin on the base of his throat, licking there before getting back to see it.

I marked him, hard. Where I sucked his skin now there was a purple circle, dark and small.

Malfoy didn't seem to notice, or if he did he didn't care. He got my lips with his again and before I could stop him, he got control over the situation.

I'm so pathetic, I told myself I wouldn't let him get control of the situation tonight.

But as he snogged me fiercely and so eagerly, as his hand travelled all through my body, holding me tightly and yet carefully, I didn't care anymore who was in charge.

I was just enjoying snogging my enemy, wildly and senseless.

And after a long time I felt alive again, in a way that who he is and who I am didn't seem to matter anymore.

* * *

I have to say that indeed James, Dom and Fred have a talent for throwing parties. I don't if the decoration is appealing as no one else could do, with many lights and fluff couches and a large vibrant dancefloor; or the service is marvellous and funny, with many different drinks available, floating sweets like Acid Pop, Sugar Quill, Chocolate Frog, Cauldron Cake, Bertie Boot's Every Flavour Beans and Pumpkin Pastries above our heads so we could pick anyone we want; or the songs, muggles ones that are very good, bands very famous in the wizarding world, old and new, funky and catchy; or the 'vibe', if you know what I mean, they have improved a lot so it's almost impossible to not enjoy the parties, I have to admit to myself.

That's why every Hogwarts student and also the ones from Durmstrang and Beauxbatons are bloody crazy here. They seem to be having so much fun that I can't keep my grumpy mood for long. Like, seriously, even Roxy is enjoying herself! It's funny and comforting to see her like this after witnessing her being in such a fragile state. She's drinking, obviously, but she knows her limits. That's why I can't bother anyone with my own problems, I can't mess with their funny night.

Even Amelie and Stan are here, the other Triwizard Champions. I swear that I saw Fred and Amelie talking to each other without looking awkward. Finally the girl got past what happened, it was just a dress after all. And if you forget about Fred vomiting over it, he was kind of cute with her.

I'm not scared with vomit, my family eats so much and drink so much that I'm used to their indigestion. If you know what I mean...

"Why are you looking so grumpy?" Ella asked me, a butterbeer in her hand as she took a seat by my side at the couch, where around me were only couples snogging senseless. I hate couples snogging. I have even more if the couple is dating, because they tend to be so bloody annoying with their cuteness. I hate even more the fact that I'm not snogging right now. I hate even more than anything that not only I'm not snogging anyone as also I have to seat here while ignoring these bunch of students snogging. Merlin, I'm feeling like uncle Percy right now, complaining about everything. Dad said he improved a lot since uncle Fred's death, so I'm probably as unbearable as he used to be.

"Is this so obvious?" I replied with another question. Typical Rose Weasley, Ella is used already. She has to be, she has been my best friend for years now.

"No" Ella said nonchalantly "But I know you, and so does your family"

"Yet they don't seem to care..." I muttered a little disappointed, just making a little drama actually, because although I didn't want to disturb them I also feel for myself for being alone in such a miserable geographic position among snogging couples.

"Oh, please, drama queen" Ella mocked me "You know they care, they are just drunk and enjoying themselves, as you should be doing as well" she really has a worried look on her face.

"I know, right?" I asked myself, actually, Ella seems to always be right "The party is so amazing, I think I underestimated my cousins"

"That's why Lucy is the cleverest of you, Weasleys" Ella said, pointing to a red headed girl jumping crazily among other students, like if she was immersed in her own world.

"Why? Because she couldn't care less about society?" I wondered confused.

"No, 'genious'" Ella mocked me again, someone please tell her that I am the one that mock people, not her "She gets what she wants"

"What?" I asked, not understanding a single thing Ella was saying tonight, is it the alcohol? I didn't even drink much.

"She wanted a party" Ella said in an obvious tone "She manipulated all of you to get one" now she pointed again to the crazy second year running away from her older sister "She got one"

Molly sometimes is so much like her father, trying to control everybody around him through order; I don't care about what Hugo does. Actually, I do, but I don't oppress him like Molly does to Lucy sometimes. Or all the time. The great thing about it is that Lucy is so clever that she never finds herself in her sister's attempts to restrain her will.

"Merlin" epiphany left my mouth agape "Is she that clever?"

"No, just you the oldest Weasleys that are too innocents to notice how your baby cousin surpass your cleverness" Ella mocked me again, giggling at my exasperated expression.

"You're so right" I admitted, amazed by Ella's logic and Lucy's cleverness.

"I know, now spit it out, why are you so grumpy?" Ella asked me worried "You even said that the party is awesome"

"I did" I admitted "But..."

I looked around again, searching for the platinum blonde haired boy that had been on the dancefloor with a brunette talking so closely that they seemed to be flirting. And he did it while I went to the bar to get drinks for us and he said he needed to go to the loo. And right after we snogged hidden from other students in a desert corridor near the room of requirement and past curfew for around two hours. I see the loo now. Prat...

"Oh" Ella apparently noticed what was going on "Are you looking for that big head?" she pointed to him.

Malfoy.

Still talking to her.

The brunette.

Marvellous, one of Genevieve's friend! The brunette one with big green eyes, a gorgeous body and sympathetic beam, and an attractive French accent.

Is Malfoy playing games with me?

Seriously...I just enjoy the games we play together and that we end up snogging, not flirting with someone else. He's such a bastard.

But why do I care? I shouldn't care. And I should know about it already. I shouldn't even have to tell it to myself.

Were we in our own bubble spending a lot of time with each other? Yes. Was I enjoying it? It pains me to say, but yes. Am I... pissed off that instead of snogging me as we were thirty minutes ago now he rather to spend time talking with that French beauty? Obviously.

I'm such a loser.

"I need to snog someone senseless" I said to myself, getting a drink from a Ravenclaw girl too busy snogging a boy from Slytherin. I drank it so fast that it burned me inside like a trace of fire. All that I needed. Or the last thing that I needed. I don't care.

"What?" Ella stopped me from going to the dancefloor, but to the opposite side where Malfoy and the girl were.

"I have self-respect!" I almost yelled, just to reassure myself, actually.

I'm raving, probably.

Over a guy, that's not me. That's Lily, not me.

"No, you have anger inside of you" Ella scolded me "Here, I'll be right back"

"Where are you going?" I asked pretending to be sad to be left alone. Right now I really wanted to be left alone so I could disappear on the dancefloor without being noticed, perhaps this could be the best way to put those disturbing thoughts on the back of my also disturbing mind.

"Since you disappeared" Ella arched an eyebrow to me, like if saying 'I'm not gonna say anything while you don't, but I know something is going on' "I was partying with Albus and Lysander, I just came to get a few drinks for us when I noticed you looking miserable here"

"Lysander drinks?" I asked incredulously. Then I remembered what Effie said when we were in our dorm and I regretted asking about it. I rather to think about him as a loony child than as a lover.

Effie has some disturbing thoughts, I know.

"I insulted you and all that matters to you is whether Lysander drinks or not?" Ella asked incredulously.

"Obviously, he's loony and out of space" I replied nonchalantly, like if I had to say something that everybody already knows, mainly Ella that is one of his closest friends.

"Rosie" Ella rolled her eyes "You stay here, I'll bring them here so we can party together"

"I don't want to party nor party with them" I said stubbornly.

"Yeah, you want, a boy had never stopped you from anything!" Ella exclaimed.

"What boy?" I tried to pretend to not have understood.

"Sod off, Rosie" Ella smirked at my manners "Actually, you are looking like you're gonna do some tricks around here, come with me" she demanded.

"No" I replied "You know that nobody tells me what to do" I said stubbornly again.

"Fine" Ella rolled her eyes again, she looks very cute when she's pissed off with me, I almost giggled but she would murder me for making fun of her "Don't move, lazy" she now had an intimidating look on her face "If you disappear, I'll find you"

She left me there, looking around the room, trying to compose myself while trying not to giggle about Ella. She has such a personality. Malfoy also has such a personality, but he is a prat so he doesn't have such a personality anymore.

Seriously? Why am I having a strange feeling in my stomach, sour and heavy inside of me? Why when I look to Malfoy enjoying himself with another girl, which hadn't happened before since we started snogging, I feel so pissed off that I have to control myself to not take him out of here and yell at his arrogant face? Why do I care? I shouldn't. We never labelled what we are, never. So we are free to do whatever we want with whoever we want to. So why do I feel like if something that is mine is being taken from me? Like when my cousins steal food from my plate...

I don't think that getting lost on the dancefloor with drunk students is the best for me right not, when I drink I tend to do stupid things. Like in the last party, the one that I almost ended up snogging Malfoy. Merlin! He keeps getting back to my mind! Even when he's not around he's still around. I'm not mad, he is mad.

I need to get out of here and clear my mind.

Or I should ignore what I'm feeling and be the Rose I've always been.

The one that do not care what the guy she just snogged is doing, even flirting with another bird.

But I need more drinks to compose myself.

As I made my way back towards the bar, leaving the door of the room of requirement behind me, I witnessed the last thing that I wished I had to.

Why did I think that I needed alcohol to compose myself? I'm so stupid! Sleeping or food are the best ways to compose myself...

The brunette French girl smashed her lips against Malfoy's, it almost seemed like he was caught off guard, but when he didn't do anything to get her away from him I told myself that there was nothing else to watch. I have seen enough. And yet I shouldn't feel the rage inside of me. And I already know all of this, the worst part is to know all of this and still not compose myself.

But should I? I shouldn't let myself feel whatever feelings I have to? As long as I keep them inside of me, I'm not exposed. I guess. Some people manage to read me very well. And sometimes I think that I can't keep walls around myself like Malfoy does when he wants.

As I got more firewhiskey, a cauldron cake was floating above my head, making me giggle sadly with memories. A couple laughing hard beside me made me giggle with more memories that came back to my mind, so suddenly that I almost felt there again. The dark grey from James' shirt, who just passed behind me without noticing my presence, brought another memory to my mind.

And before I could restrain myself, I was remembering the great times of the past weeks. Since Malfoy and I started snogging and then meeting everyday hidden from the others, I have collected to me great memories to remember.

For some reason my inner self found it appropriate to remember the best ones of them all. And there were many, indeed.

But now, after witnessing him snogging another girl like he usually does to me, those memories seemed so far that they lost their brightness.

I'm feeling so pathetic. And I think that I feel like this too much.

Pathetic for apparently getting attached to someone like I never allowed myself to – because it never really happened -, pathetic for that someone being Malfoy, pathetic for had enjoyed this past month with him, pathetic for believing that our bubble would never burst, pathetic for feeling a rage that looks like jealousy but should never be. Pathetic for letting myself get involved after managing successfully to avoid doing so.

Also, pathetic for still being here, drinking like an abandoned lover that I am not, watching everyone having fun while I feel miserable inside.

My eyes didn't get watery, but as I left the firewhiskey on the counter, I started running away so I could get out of there as fast as possible. I stumbled hard against someone, but it didn't stop me. Even when I heard my name being called it didn't stop me, on the other way, it pushed me forward even more.

I don't where I was running, running somewhere just felt like freedom, the wind refreshing my face, my hair tousled, my heart racing with adrenaline.

I suddenly realized how much I missed playing Quidditch! I hate this bloody Triwizard Tournament, the matches would only be next year. I chuckled as I remembered Malfoy and I arguing about who would beat each other's ass for the House Cup.

Malfoy, why the bloody hell he comes back to my mind all the time? And I feel that rage again, burning my insides like firewhiskey.

"Stop it" a voice said suddenly, making me stop on my tracks before turning the corridor, I had no idea where I was.

"Why?" the voice replied in a sad tone.

"It's wrong and you know it" the girl muttered, her voice trembling with sadness as well.

"I have nothing with her" the boy sad, I could feel a little anger in his tone.

"Well" the girl seemed angry right now as well "I have respect for her, differently of you!" she said accusingly.

"That's not true!" the boy's voice was louder now "I didn't sleep with her"

"How honourable!" the girl said sarcastically.

Funny. She sounds like someone I know.

She has even the same tone for sarcasm that someone I know.

"First of all my cousin is too young for being played around for you, a sixth year boy!" she scolded him. Wait, what? Why does it sound familiar?

"Stop it!" he said, his tone lower than before, he seemed to be composing himself.

I heard soft footsteps, heavy breaths and a low moan.

Merlin, my mind was telling me to leave whoever are them be. But my curiosity won over my rational side. I mean, my night had already been a disgrace, why should I restrain myself from listening to a forbidden love talk?

Ok, because is wrong. But many things are wrong tonight. Life is not fair. So sod off, rational side. You didn't stop me from getting involved with Malfoy...

"Look at us" the boy said almost exasperated "Your body answers to mine just as mine do to yours"

"We can't!" she protested, but her voice betrayed her in the end, not sounding as sure as she wanted to.

Merlin, I wanted so much to peer around the corner of the wall to have a look on them. Just to see who they are and feel a little special for knowing something no one else does.

Forbidden love is so cliché that it almost makes me vomit, but at the same time is so appealing that if feels like my guilty pleasure. I know, I'm such a loser.

My guilty pleasure should be snogging my enemy, not spying over someone else's love life.

"I need to be rational here" the girl replied, Merlin, it even sounds like if it is for me.

"No, you don't!" the boy snapped back, his patience vanishing as the argument didn't get to an end.

"Please" she said "We need to get away from each other" sadness so clear in her voice that it made my heart feel heavy, sad for her.

"WHAT?" he asked incredulously "YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS"

"Shhh" she scolded him again "It will be easier for us"

"For us? Don't you dare try to foolish me, you may try doing it to yourself but not to me" he replied angrily, his voice sounding lost.

"There's nothing else we can do!" she replied, her voice tired with the argument.

These people get tired of arguments too easily, Malfoy and I have been handling this dynamic for years now.

And again I had to remember about him.

Blimey!

"I already told you that I'll leave her" he tried again, his voice fading with hopeless.

"You can't!" she said desperately "She loves you! She really does! You can't do it!"

"Why not?" he asked stubbornly.

"Are you so selfish like this?" she asked him.

"Selfish?" he asked sarcastically, pain clear in his voice "Not staying with the person I truly want is selfish?"

"You don't truly want me!" she protested "We are best friends, actually we have been close for a short time, you're just confused, and that's all"

"Seems like you're trying to convince yourself with that bullshit" he said disappointed, funny how I could notice the emotion just for the voice tone.

"I am" the girl said, sadness overflowing from her heart.

"WEASEL" a voice yelled from somewhere, footsteps not away from where I was.

Not a voice, the voice. Malfoy's irritating and arrogant voice.

Merlin, my life is pathetic for sure. I was caught between Malfoy hunting for me around the castle and a forbidden couple discussing about their forbidden and complicated relationship that had their conversation eavesdropped by a strange.

When I thought about getting out of there Malfoy appeared at the end of the corridor, his clothes untidy, his hair even more tousled than I had left; and Dominique Weasley with watery eyes that smudged her make up with an angry/sad/irritated Lorcan Scamander, the forbidden couple, showed up by my side as I was frozen on the corner of the stone wall.

For the first time Malfoy was not the one that left me speechless and angry at the same time.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, my dear readers! I know that I told you that I would update this fanfic once in a week but I had some problems that took me more time than I thought it would! I'm really sorry for taking so long to update but here is Chapter 15! To make up for my lateness, it's longer than usual, so I hope you enjoy it!

Please let me know what you think about my story, my characters and about Chapter 15! You can use your login or review as a guest anonymously. Anyway is always a pleasure to me to read your reviews, folks!

I would like to thank nivi2cool, missfizwizbiz and a Guest for your reviews for Chapters 13 and 14! I really appreciate it, folks!

I'm gonna reply to your reviews here:

To _nivi2cool_ – Thank you so much for your review, your kind words melt my heart and make me write faster and with more worry about how this story is going! I'll try to update more and sooner! I hope you like your chapter and let me know what you think about it (:

To _missfizwizbiz_ – Hello, my faithfull reader! I'm glad that you reviewed to me, always love to know what you are thinking about my story! The title of Chapter 13 was indeed inspired by you, I'm glad you liked it! I'm sorry to disappoint you but the task will be on next chapter, I had some storylines to develop here on Chapter 15 but I hope to not let you down! I'll write a great chapter for you about the Triwizard Tournament, I promise I'll do my best! I would like to let you know that your reviews always encourage me write the next chapter, so thank you so much for your kind words and attention, I really appreciate it! And please, don't apologise for any mistakes on your spelling, I'm not a native English speaker as well, but we do as much as we can to communicate in this language! Hope you like this chapter!

To _Guest_ – Oh, thank you so much! I'm glad that you are enjoying so much my story! Hope you like Chapter 15 and I hope to see you again soon in my reviews!

Without further ado, folks,

 _Binki_

 ** _Ps. Just to remember you, guys. The faster you review the faster I post the next chapter! Cheers!_**


	16. Take It Or Leave It

_**Disclaimer:**_ Obviously, I'm not Jo Rowling, it's all hers.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Sixteen – Take It Or Leave It**

I'm not the type of person easy to shut up. What I mean is that I always have something to say, a humorous remark, a serious thought, a mature scold, an ironic comment, anything. I just can't restrain myself from expressing what is going through my disturbing and restless mind.

So it's very shocking to myself that I don't have something to say right now. I can see that Malfoy, Dominique and Lorcan are thinking the same way due to their expressions: Malfoy is shocked but has a humorous hint in his eyes, like if already expecting something from me, yet he is not that disgusting to show it explicitly; Dom looks worried and sad, ashamed and helpless, I had never seen her like this, seems like she's expecting my reaction first so she can do something; for last, Lorcan, looking sad and pissed off for being interrupted, he doesn't even look ashamed.

Lorcan is such a bastard!

Merlin, I'm so angry right now that I could Avada Kedavra him without a second thought. I feel blood coming in a rush under my skin at the sight of him, my vision got red, the palm of my hands got sweaty, the pulse pumping fast in my throat, my body got tense and my ears were fuming with anger.

Still, my voice came out really controlled and slow.

For some it's a surprise, for some a relieve, for some it's scary.

I love to be scary because they should be really scared.

"I hope you can explain to me what is going on here" I demanded to Dominique, looking pointedly to her.

"Rosie..." Dom tried to speak but no voice came out of her mouth.

"It's not her fault..." Lorcan started saying, but I interrupted him rudely.

That's why when Lorcan spoke to me instead of my cousin, the one that I pointedly looked to, I lost my mind quickly.

"I don't want to talk to you, I don't want to see you, I don't want to have you around anymore, do you hear me?" I asked rhetorically, not giving a shit to his reply "You were all this time toying around with my cousins' feelings, you don't have my respect or even self-respect" I was still managing to speak in a controlled way, mum would be so proud. Dad would be quiet because he says that when I am like this I'm as scary as mum and there's no denying that I am her copy.

"You know nothing, Rose" Lorcan protested rudely, clearly pissed off for being interrupted.

"How dare you?" I asked him incredulously "Lily loves you, you fucking bastard!" now my voice had risen considerably, I couldn't restrain myself any longer.

The conversation I had with Lily ripped me inside, she's so young to feel such pains, love should be something fun and enjoyable for all of us, for Merlin's beard! And now I was witnessing one of my strongest friends and my dear cousin fragile as I had never seen before, her eyes so sad as I had never seen before, her body shaking as I had never seen before. She still had determination in her eyes, she has morals and respects Lils after all, so she doesn't regret her words to him, I can see it, but yet her feelings are messed up. Dom is as broken as Lily.

"And you are manipulating Dominique while she's having a hard time sticking for her baby cousin because she has respect for the ones she loves" I couldn't believe it was happening at all "You are a fucking bastard! A total prat! I fucking hate you!" I was yelling now, I noticed that Malfoy was holding me back because my will was to throw myself over Lorcan and destroy his bloody pretty face.

"YOU ARE BLOODY DISGUSTING, LORCAN!" I yelled, my rage consuming me "GET OUT OF HERE AND DON'T GET NEAR LILY OR DOM ANYMORE!" I was trying with all my strength to beat the fuck out of him, but Malfoy had to be inconvenient and restrain me from doing so.

"Weasley, he's not worth it!" Malfoy urged me, he seemed a little desperate but very determinate to not let me do stupid things.

"Let go off me, Malfoy!" I demanded angrily, searching for my wand in my waist and not finding it "Where is my wand?" I asked rudely.

"Rosie, calm down, please!" Dom pleaded me, she was crying hard right now, tears streaming heavily down her gorgeous face, she was shaking even more.

"CALM DOWN?" what the bloody hell? "I WANT MY WAND, GIVE ME MY WAND, MALFOY!" I demanded, his strong arms holding me in my place, my wand out of my sights.

"Weasley, stop it!" Malfoy scolded me "You are scaring your cousin!" he warned me, pointing to an unstable Dominique who was trying to get away from Lorcan's reach as the prat was trying to comfort her from something he created. He's such a hypocrite.

He's not worth a single second of my cousin's time.

They are so much better than him, they are too much for him. They deserve much more, someone much better.

So that's why, already seeing Dom so shaken because of him, that I tried to calm down myself. I had to remember the technique my aunt Ginny taught me, breathing heavily and slowly.

Malfoy turned me around in his arms so I could face him, he was looking firmly to me, like if supporting my effort to calm down, and perhaps making sure I would not freak out again.

But it's not my fault, Lorcan just gets worse.

"Dom" I said calmly, looking to my cousin in not an angry way, trying to speak and look tenderly to her "Come here with me" I said gently.

How I managed to do it I don't know, probably because I really love this girl.

Dom seemed rather surprised, but came to me anyway. As she got closer to me, Malfoy let me go to hold my cousin tightly. Physical contact is something very common in my family, everybody embraces everybody. I don't know how many times Dom and I have embraced each other, really. Countless times, probably. I love to embrace my family, seems like I'm holding a part of my world.

But I had never embraced Dom like this. She threw herself in my arms, her sobs getting muffed in my hair as she hid there, holding me tight as if looking for something to steady her. It broke my heart, to see her like this, and then to feel her like this, broken.

I murmured a few words to her, assuring that everything would be alright, that we would fix this together, and that I would always be here to her. Because sometimes in my family we are more than cousins, we are like brothers and sisters.

I don't know how much time we stayed embraced like this, I didn't care as well. The night had been so confusing and tiring and even disappointing, that I couldn't believe it would end like this, even worse than I could have imagined.

"Hm" I heard someone behind me humming "Weasel..." Malfoy, of course.

"I didn't forget what happened" I pointed my finger to him as I let go off Dom, his face a little scared with my sudden anger toward him "But right now you're not the one I want to murder"

Malfoy beamed to me, like if he was having fun.

And it bothered me very much because I hate when people make fun of me, even more if this person is Malfoy.

And he knows it, because his beam grew wider.

"Why are you here after my cousin, Scorpius?" Dom asked, not a single tear on her face anymore, not looking like if she was emotionally broken a few minutes ago.

Apparently another veela ability, pretending like if everything is okay when actually it is not, but just to be discreet in front of other people.

"Because she's bloody crazy" Malfoy simply said, not hesitating any time, not allowing any further interpretation, making it look like our typical exchange of mocking each other.

I gave him a look of 'Well done, genious. I couldn't manage to find a convincing excuse after such turbulent events nor complain to everyone that you were snogging a bloody French girl'; I think I scared him a little because his beam became nervous and uncertain.

I noticed how Malfoy made Dom giggle lightly, relieving a little the tension in the air. This time I gave him a look of gratitude, at least he's not that useless.

"Dom, let me..." Lorcan tried to talk to my cousin, but she, just like the others Weasley girls, is tough and knows how to put men on their place.

"Stay away from me" Dom demanded, but her voice was sad and broken "We can't" she highlighted 'can't' when she said it.

"Who is saying that?" he asked angry "Rose?" Lorcan looked accusingly to me.

"Merlin, sod off, Lorcan" I said rudely, not caring about this prat "I can't stand you, if you like my cousin as much as you say at least respect this one since the other one you don't give a shit about her" I spit it out bitterly on his face, but it didn't affect him at all.

"Like I said, you know nothing, Rose" he was trying to control himself, but I could see that I was getting under his skin just like Malfoy gets under mine. I had to remember about Ella after Lorcan said that, all the time she says 'You know nothing, Jon Snow', apparently a famous line from her beloved Game of Bones.

"I'm tired of you and your bullshit" I complained tiredly.

Lorcan just doesn't know when to stop, even Malfoy knows it. Surprisingly, I think I found someone worse than him, Lorcan Scamander.

What would his great-grandfather, the brilliant Newt Scamander, say about it? My Nana Molly would probably scold him like a naughty child he is and refuse to bake his favourite food for a long time.

My Nana is terrible while being terrific, I know. Punishing through food is really an evil thing.

Before I could notice, Malfoy helped me take Dom to our dorm in the Gryffindor Tower, away from Lorcan, leaving him behind us like he deserves. Alone and rethinking about his actions.

I allowed him to come, I don't know why, but while I know that I'm here to support Dom, I think he's here to support me. And a support is always welcome in times like these. Even though I'm still angry with him. But it's not time to be selfish, I need to focus on Dom right now. And later on Lily, because she'll know about it, I'll make sure she knows.

"Is she feeling better?" Malfoy asked me as I came down from the stairs of our dormitory.

"Yeah, she fell asleep, I think it's a good sign" I murmured, feeling as tired as ever.

Malfoy helped me to take Dom to our dorms but left when I told her to take a shower and get some rest. Surprisingly he's still here, waiting for me. Perhaps not so surprisingly since I got down, hoping he would be here.

Why I don't know, I don't intend to philosophize about it right now because I'm mentally exhausted, caring about other people's problems is really tiring.

I stopped in my tracks at the end of the stair, finally facing him since what I saw in the room of requirement.

He looked not exhausted, but tired, like if he had been in a rush and anxious about something and still was.

Malfoy was seated now uncomfortably on the couch in front of the fireplace where my family usually seat, he was looking at me, his face not emotionless. It seems like if he's waiting for me to do something first before he can do anything.

I don't know how much time we stayed like this, all I know is that I couldn't avert my eyes from his. What had I felt earlier? Jealousy, rage, betrayal? What should I expect from him?

"Come here" Malfoy called me to his side on the couch "Weasel" he completed like if he couldn't restrain himself, like if it was wrong to not do it.

"Nobody tells me what to do" I whispered, but walked forward anyway to where he was.

I silently sat by his side, not touching him, but being able to feel the warmth from his body. Or perhaps it was the fireplace. Yet I like to think that the heat is coming from him.

Malfoy beamed at me in a funny way, indeed I am funny when I do something that I say I do not. How pathetic.

He came closer to me, turned to face my body so he was in front of me, our knees touching. It already made me shiver a bit, suddenly a flash of what I witnessed came back to my mind, and I immediately averted my gaze from his, looking instead to the fireplace. It's safer. I couldn't expose myself.

"Why did you run away?" Malfoy asked suddenly, I could feel his gaze on me, like if trying to read my face.

Bloody hell! Blimey! If he came after me, now I realised, then he knows that I saw him snogging another girl. I intended to think more about it with the guarantee that Malfoy doesn't know that I know it. But now the chance is gone.

I am learning how to keep my face emotionless, but I still don't manage the art like Malfoy, nor do I think I ever will. So it's better to not look at him or when my eyes meet his I may slip what is inside of me.

"Why did you come after me?" I enjoy replying questions with other questions, it's like bluffing. But mainly it's my technique to avoid questions that I don't know the answer.

Because the fact is that I don't know why I ran away, I don't know why seeing him snogging another girl made me run away. I just don't know.

"Touché" Malfoy smirked lightly.

Why is he smirking? Bastard!

We stayed silent for a long time, not daring to disturb the silence, it was not awkward, but I think that if one of us starts talking about it tension will get over us.

I noticed how the Common Room is empty, how the corridors were empty as well. Is it possible that the whole castle is in James, Fred and Dom's party? I wouldn't doubt that. Lucy is right, they know how to throw a party. Aunt Angelina and aunt Ginny always complain that they don't put that much effort in their studies.

"Can we not talk about it?" I said before I could restrain myself, Merlin, what am I doing? I don't know, but it felt right.

"Are you serious?" Malfoy asked, looking at me awkwardly like if I had three heads and a pig nose.

"I'm not understanding your tone of voice" I commented pretending to be a little insulted.

"Well" he started, I already know that he's going to mock me in five, four, three, two... "Due to your psychopath tendencies for getting a point across immediately, and your disturbing behaviour of being in control all the bloody time, beside your obsession with organisation and planning every minute of your day..."

"Okay, I got it" I giggled, not denying that I am like this.

"What I mean is that the Weasel I know and got used to would want to know..." Malfoy muttered, still looking at me, but keeping a stern face.

"Why are you taking yourself so seriously?" I asked with an indifferent tone.

"What?" Malfoy chuckled incredulous "Weasel, you're nuts"

"I never denied that" I said, relaxing on the couch and spreading my body over it.

I threw my feet on Malfoy's lap, not caring for his reaction.

It's funny, but since we started snogging his rudeness side to me softened. We could be playful with each other and mock in a funny way. What I mean is that we've been having fun together with moments like this.

I know right, what a month change... That's why I don't know how we'll be in a month. Nor I want to think about it, or I'll get anxious.

I analysed his face now, he seemed to be dealing with a tough dilemma, an inside battle. It's funny to see him like this when usually I am the conflicted person. Malfoy always had the answers at the tip of his tongue, now it's my turn to see him hesitating while I just let words coming out of my mouth.

I'm actually with an astonishing self-control tonight, considering everything I went through today. I think that I'm feeling so mentally and now physically exhausted that I just am not into talking about Malfoy and the brunette. I want to know about them, but I'm not caring so much right now.

I am really pathetic, Merlin. I suffered so much when I saw them snogging...

"You're awkwardly controlled tonight" Malfoy murmured, his face with a frown. He didn't even notice my feet were on his lap, he seemed immersed on his own deep thoughts.

Better for me.

And he still looks gorgeous though.

"Aren't you the one that always said that I should learn how to control my temper?" I asked him confused, closing my eyes and resting my head on the couch behind me.

"I think I'll take it back" Malfoy gulped "I rather when you yell angrily at me calling me a bastard and a prat" he admitted, his voice sounding like if he's still puzzled.

"You sound really uncomfortable" I pointed out, feeling my body relaxing and my breath getting calmer.

"Yeah" Malfoy agreed, his voice sounding louder "Why are you so chill about it?" he almost lost control this time, his voice pitchy with an irritated tone.

"You sound very unsure as well" I pointed out again.

That's a funny game. I'm enjoying it.

"Could you please answer me?" he almost begged, almost, because it's Malfoy, he never begs.

"You sound so polite" I pointed out again, I tried to sound nonchalantly but I giggled in the end, not being able to restrain myself.

"You're such a fool" Malfoy said grumpily, but a grin escaped his lips, as I noticed after I opened my eyes.

Suddenly I noticed how I like when we are like this, being foolish and playful, no tension in the air.

It feels so comfortable to take a nap, I closed my eyes again, feeling light as I had never felt before. I could worry about the problems tomorrow: Dom, Lily and Lorcan's love triangle; Heather Nott and Lisa's suspicious acts in the library; Malfoy snogging another girl and my conflicted feelings about it; Roxy's first task. Oh, there are also the unsolved things, like James and Harper's friendship; and Fred and Amelie's apparent friendly approach.

Merlin, my family could give me a headache if it were last year. Sixth year Rose is much more chilling and relaxing. Or mad, because I don't know how I'm not yelling at Malfoy as well.

Perhaps it's wise of me to be reacting like this, I already noticed that when I don't act like he expects me to he gets a little uneasy. In the end, I turned the tables, if I was anxious after seeing him and that girl snogging, now he's anxious because he thinks that although I ran away I'm not reacting like he thought I would. Oh Merlin, so funny! I should have been wiser earlier, at least it's not too late to act like if I've been wise this whole time.

"Weasel" Malfoy called me, but I just couldn't open my eyes anymore, I was in such a peaceful and sleepy state.

"Hmmm" I muttered, indicating that I was not so sleepy at all.

"She snogged me" he whispered, but I still could hear his voice "But I pulled her away before she could deepen the snog"

"Why?" I couldn't restrain myself, I had to know.

Why? I don't know. I don't even know what I felt. What is jealousy? What is possessiveness? What is to feel both? I don't know, I never felt anything like this. Until tonight. Again, Malfoy makes me feel, whatever it is, he still does.

I was feeling so relaxed and tired that sleeping seemed the best thing I could do right now.

"Because you stumbled on me while you were running away" Malfoy simply said.

Oh. That's not what I was expecting, but I won't let him know it, so far my unwitting strategy of frustrating his expectations upon me had been the best I've ever tried. My dad always said that when I do things spontaneously like him they tend to come out better than when I plan every inch of them like mum usually does. Actually always does.

Perhaps dad is right, at least when dealing with Malfoy. If I said it to dad he would probably faint. I miss my parents so much, I have to write a letter to them. But then I remembered that Sunday is the day of the first task, so mum will be here at Hogwarts since she is the Minister for Magic. I wonder whether my father will come, as well my uncles and aunties. I also don't know whether is great to have them here, Roxy may be feeling pressured enough already.

But before I could slip away to my own dreams and the heavy weight of sleepiness was pressed over me, I heard Malfoy saying his last words:

"Because you came into my mind immediately" my heart didn't even have time to skip with his confession as I immersed in a profound and peaceful sleep.

* * *

Next morning I woke up with the sun rays warming my face, I could hear birds singing and slow and peaceful breaths around me, also my stomach screamed loudly and roughly, making me notice how hungry I am. Merlin, I need to eat something. Actually, I would love more flying sweets, I love cauldron cakes and I would be delighted to have sugar quills coming to me through the air.

"Could you please switch off your stomach?" I heard Effie asking me grumpily, and Emma murmured an agreement.

"It's been years and she hasn't disciplined her worm" now Ella said, what a bastard.

"ELLA!" I protested with my voice sounding muffed as I covered my face with my pillow.

"Morning, sunshine" Ella said sweetly, she's probably doing her morning yoga. Merlin, how is it possible to do something without having breakfast?

"Rosie" a small voice called me, Dom "Could you please come take breakfast with me?"

I opened my eyes and got on my elbows to look at her. Dom looked horrible, I wouldn't say it to her but she seems exhausted, not the Dom I know.

And then memories from last night came to my mind. Malfoy and the French girl. Me running away. Dom and Lorcan forbidden love story. Malfoy being nice and manipulated by my nonchalantly behaviour.

I'm such a genius. Really, I'm impressed with myself.

Did I really hear what he said? It still doesn't sound real.

But now it's not time to think about him. It's time to finally talk with Dom. And solve things with Lily. And then give a moral support to Roxy. Oh, and I have my Potions' project to do with Malfoy, it needs to be perfect. Also talk with James to know about him, Violet and Harper. And Fred and Amelie. Merlin, my family occupies most of my time, lucky them that I love each one of them.

I need to write to my parents as well, it's been a time. Has Hugo been talking with them? I need to check on him, big sister duties.

"ROSIE!" a pillow hit my face while someone that sounded like Ella called me "Dom is talking to you, you big head!"

"Thanks, Ella pie" I said sarcastically, I like to wake up peacefully, not with a pillow straight to my face "Sorry Dom, let's go, I just need a bath!"

I got up quickly, and Dom followed me to the bathroom. We don't feel embarrassed to undress in front of each other, we grew up together, after all.

Finally, we were one of the few students in the Great Hall, apparently we went to bed early compared to other students, since every single soul in this castle was at the party last night.

"Rosie" Dom murmured "Thank you for yesterday"

"No problem" I replied, putting three eggs in my mouth, Merlin, I'm so hungry.

Dom had a serious facade, but when she saw me eating like our fathers do she giggled loudly.

"I miffed thiss sound, Dom" I said sincerely.

"Rosie, manners, please" she scolded me, giggling happily.

Merlin, I thought she would stay like last night for a whole week at least. Dom is stronger than I thought, I shouldn't have underestimated her.

It's just that I don't know how people deal with these 'heart business', if you know what I mean. It sounds even weird to think about it.

"Right, sorry" I apologised, taking a sip of my pumpkin juice to compose myself "Could we talk now?" I asked cautiously.

"Please" Dom almost seemed to beg, her voice a little desperate.

Oh, perhaps she's not as well as I thought. Her veela abilities to go unnoticed perhaps.

Then I listened to my cousin patiently. She was telling me everything, even the details that I would have rather to not know, but in the end I was curious, I never talked about physical interaction with anyone except Ella, and she is as experienced as me. I need to talk more about it with Dom.

"I mean, we were so close in such a short time" Dom was trying hard not to cry, apparently she feels too sad to restrain her emotions inside of her "Every night he was snogging Lily, but during the rest of the day we were together; we are partners in Potions, then I was helping him with Transfiguration and he was helping me with DADA; we trained Quidditch together every Wednesday; we swam in the Black Lake many times that I can't even count; he showed me about magical creatures and his great-grandfather's manuscripts, I showed him how to bake some great recipes of Nana Molly in the kitchen"

"Wow!" I exclaimed surprised "I thought it was just physical"

"That's the problem, Rose" Dom said, I handed a handkerchief to her so she could dry her eyes "We started as best friends, we were sharing a routine, we really came to know each other; sometimes, I don't know if you ever felt it, but I could know his humour just by the expression of his face..."

I remembered him right now. Yeah, Malfoy, who else could be? I have been noticing some things about him that I had never before, because he is allowing me to know him or I am allowing myself to know him better, I don't know. Or both. It's not time to think about me anyway.

"With Lily he always said that it was just physical" Dom sniffed "He was enjoying it at the beginning, but then it got boring to him when he noticed Lily's feelings for him... And..."

"And?" I asked her curiously.

"And that's when he snogged me for the first time" Dom sighed nostalgically, but then came back to reality, her tone of voice serious again "I tried to push him back, but I didn't find enough strength to do it, I don't know Rose, I never felt something like this before, it's like my mind tells me something but my heart wants another and then I am lost in this and just can't control myself..."

Merlin, we are so look alike. The difference between us is that Dom has a much more flirting personality, so she has more experience than me, she's not afraid to start a conversation with a guy she finds interesting. But if I had her veela looks I wouldn't be afraid as well, she's naturally charming. I'm awkward.

"And then we started spending even more time together, it was physical and emotional..." Dom was saying, her voice hopeless.

Merlin, I don't want to feel hopeless because of a guy...

"Wait, wait, wait!" now I realised what she was telling me "What do you mean with 'emotional'?" I asked suddenly aware of what was really going on.

"You're the cleverest child of the family, Rosie" Dom murmured, like if I should have realised what was implied in what she said so she wouldn't have to say it aloud.

"I thought that Lorcan wanted to stay with both you and Lily because he enjoys snogging you both" I said simply.

"Are you really that disoriented about relationships, Rosie?" Dom asked me incredulously.

Merlin, what the bloody hell is going on here?

"Last night I thought you had heard the whole conversation" Dom commented, getting some pastries to her plate.

"I think I didn't then" I said suspiciously.

"Fine" Dom sighed heavily "Last night Lorcan asked me to be his girlfriend"

"WHAT?" I yelled, chocking with my sausages "I need water" I said with difficulty.

Dom rolled her eyes and handed me a goblet with fresh water, she came to my side to pat on my back.

"Merlin, Rosie" Dom exclaimed "You're so dramatic" she rolled her eyes again.

"You could have been more specific yesterday, Dominique" I scolded her.

"Why? What difference it would have made?" she asked me confused.

"Because then I would have bloody kicked his balls" I said angrily.

"No, you were enjoying being held so fiercely by Malfoy's strong arms" Dom mocked me while taking a sip of her orange juice.

"Sod off, Dom" I rolled my eyes this time "Now everything makes more sense to me" I tried to change the subject.

"Yeah" Dom agreed sadly "I already betrayed Lils though" she started to cry now, tears coming down quickly from her bright blue eyes.

"Hey, don't worry" I said tenderly, holding her shoulders with one arm while my other hand tried to dry her tears "It already happened and it was very noble of you to stick for Lily"

"What?" Dom asked me confused.

"What?" I asked confused now.

"I thought you would yell to me for being such a traitor and that I should tell Lily and rethink about my stupid actions" Dom said exasperated, looking to me.

"Well, you already know what to do so I don't have to tell you" I said nonchalantly "But I understand why things went out of control"

"Do you?"

"Yeah, of course"

"Tell me then, because I still don't know" Dom said with a sad grin on her face.

"Firstly, don't be harsh on yourself" I said in a bossy tone.

"Said the master of self-deprecation" Dom mocked me.

"Hey, I don't have to do what I counsel people to do" I replied wisely, making Dom rolls her eyes again "It's obvious that you like the guy, Dom" I said simply, making her eyes get wider.

"I don't" she denied quickly.

"Yes, you do" I repeated.

"No" Dom is so stubborn.

"Yes, you do, it's on your face" I said "I had never seen you so sad like yesterday; you like Lorcan, and I think you would be his girlfriend if this wasn't synonymous of cheating on Lily; but since you love her more than him, you rather to not have the guy you want so you can stay okay with your baby cousin"

"Well" Dom admitted "It makes sense now"

"What do you mean?" I asked confused "Wasn't it sorted out in your mind yet?"

"No, of course not" Dom said like if it was something obvious.

Well, it is not!

"Why?" I asked, not understanding what's going on her again.

"Because when we like someone nothing seems clear to you, that's how we know that what we are feeling in sincere" Dom said with a dreamy voice; Merlin, why does it sound familiar? "You had to see when I felt jealous of him"

Oh no, what the hell?

"Really?" I asked trying to sound interested but feeling rather uncomfortable.

"Yeah, when we started snogging, two weeks ago, he tried at every cost to avoid Lily – and I know it's fucked up and disturbing but I felt really special that he wanted me over her -, Merlin, I am a horrible person" Dom seemed to be really conflicted here, it was not being easy for her to open up, I noticed "But then one day she cornered him with watery eyes and they started snogging... Lorcan said he felt pity for her, that's why he snogged her – I know, it sounds disturbing as well"

"It does" I admitted, feeling uneasy, Merlin, this is so bloody fucked up!

"When Lily cornered him he was with me in that corridor, but that's why I've been taking Albus' map with me, to avoid other people to notice our closeness and go check on us; so I saw that Lily was coming and hid in a broom closet, that's how I saw them snogging"

"How..." I didn't know how to ask it without sounding very interested about it "... How did you feel when you saw him snogging another girl?"

Merlin, I need answers to understand myself.

I really wanted to talk about it with Ella and Dom, but I still want to keep my thing – whatever it is – with Malfoy a secret. No one can know about us. Not yet. Not ever, I think.

"I felt a sudden and apparently unaccountable rage inside of me" oh no, it sounds familiar "Like if something that is mine was being taken from me" bloody hell "I felt so pissed off, Rosie, and yet I shouldn't be feeling all of this, because I am the one cheating on her, not she, you know?"

"Yeah" I gulped, more than she could imagine.

Merlin, that's it then? I felt jealousy. Of Malfoy? It doesn't sound right, it doesn't sound safe. Merlin, things should never have reached this, never.

"I think that's one of the signs that you know you like someone, Rosie" Merlin, I love Dom and I want to be supportive, but I don't know if I can handle if she keeps talking about it "When you feel possessiveness and jealousy towards someone"

"Merlin! That's disturbing" I said to myself, but I noticed that I said aloud too.

"I know Rosie, I'm feeling so fucked up!" Dom held her head with her hands, like if she couldn't deal with it anymore, like if it couldn't get any worse "I've been cheating on Lily with Lorcan this whole time"

"You what?" voices behind me asked her.

Dom must have a huge karma, because apparently it got worse than ever.

* * *

Before my family could make a show in the Great Hall due to a piece of information that they shouldn't have heard, I managed to convince Albus, Hugo and Louis to stay with their mouths shut because, firstly, Dom and Lily shouldn't be exposed in front of the whole school; secondly, there was no time to talk about it; thirdly, Lily still has to know about it so they don't have any right to even acknowledge that they know something about it; fourthly, I am their older cousin and big sister so they need to obey me; fifth, I am a prefect so I can give detention to them if they don't do as I command and nobody would question my acts because they are troublemakers; and sixth, tomorrow is Roxy's first task, she needs all of our support and attention.

Albus didn't seem convinced, but he didn't care as much as I thought he would because he was going to meet with Ella before lunch to study together for a Potions' essay. Merlin, he pisses me off acting like a puppy towards my best friend.

Hugo, just like me, inherited mum's cautious side; so he didn't judge Dom with his eyes neither said anything, he just kept his thoughts to himself and put a lot of food in his mouth.

Louis is a faithful little brother, he didn't judge Dom and just kept himself seated by her side while everybody was eating quietly. It was very clear that acting like this he was showing his support for her. Dom kissed him tenderly on his forehead, earning a quick embrace from him.

I love to witness this kind of affection between brothers and sisters, usually we fight like crazy and don't stand each other, but there were times that we show our unconditional support and love.

"I can't believe it" Albus was saying to me as we walked together to the library. Actually Al would stay at the library with Ella, I joined him because it was the same way to Roxy's dorm. And also because I miss hanging out with Al, just the two of us like we used to. We still do it, we are best friends after all.

"What?" I asked him but I already know the answer.

"Dom, cheating on Lily" Albus seemed incredulous "The worst part is Lorcan, isn't he mature enough to break up with one before hanging out with another girl?"

"What would you do, Al?" I asked him "Don't judge people before knowing the facts, believe me, I want to kill Lorcan, but we have to support Lily and Dom"

"I certainly wouldn't cheat" Albus said firmly.

"I don't doubt you" I admitted, indeed the Potters have strong moral values.

"I mean, he's lucky enough to have two amazing girls liking him" Albus seemed a bit uncomfortable "And then he screw it up just like the idiot he is"

"You seem envy" I mocked him, but wasn't lying.

"I am" Albus said, giggling sarcastically "I would treat the girl I like very well"

"At least, right" I understand why Albus is so disturbed, not only one of this girls is his baby sister and the other his dear cousin, as also that's not a fair way to treat the people you like.

Unfortunately Lorcan is stupid enough to not know it.

"Rosie" Albus called me, stopping in his tracks.

"What?" I asked him "Did you forget something?"

"Yeah" he said quickly, looking uneasy.

"Hm" I murmured uncertain.

"Actually, no" Albus was green, I swear.

"Are you feeling okay?" I asked, trying to sound gently "You look like you're about to vomit"

"IlikeEllaandIwantyoutohelpmegooutwithher" Albus said so fast that I barely understood him.

I just got the name Ella.

"Al" I said, putting a comforting hand on his shoulder "I didn't hear you, sorry"

He gulped, looking to his feet to avoid my gaze. He's worrying me, what the bloody hell is going on? My family is nuts. First Dom, now Albus.

"Please, don't tell you were having an affair with Lorcan as well" I said seriously to mock him.

Albus' green eyes got wide with astonishment.

"Wha-what?" Albus babbled.

"I'm just joking, Al" I said worried "Merlin, spit it out, you're making me nervous"

"I like Ella" Albus said "In a romantic way" he clarified.

"I know" I said in a bitter tone.

"WHAT?" he yelled at me "Why did you make me say it again?" Albus was exasperated.

"Albus" I rolled my eyes "It's been obvious for a time now that you like Ella in a romantic way"

"So why does it seem that she has no idea about my feelings?" he asked me confused "Even you noticed"

"Hey" I felt insulted "I'm not that blind"

"Yes, you are" Al said nonchalantly "But anyway, we are talking about my love life"

"I don't know if I feel comfortable to put you and Ella in the same sentence with love" I admitted, feeling uneasy.

"What's the matter?" he asked a bit irritated "We are your best friends, a perfect couple"

"Couple?" I giggled "Aren't you being a little precipitated?"

"Next weekend we'll be able to go to Hogsmeade" Al ignored me "I wanted to invite her to come with me"

"Why are you telling me this?" I asked uncomfortably.

"Because we are your best friends, I thought you would like to have us together as a couple" Albus grinned, trying to convince me.

"Oh, really?" I said sarcastically "Would you like if Malfoy and I dated?" I tried not to let my voice shake with hesitation, trying to sound nonchalantly while inside I really wanted to know Al's answer.

"That's different" he said, looking uneasy now "You guys have always hated each other, I love you both, but my life is like hell when both of you are together in the same room"

"Wouldn't be nice if we dated then?" I giggled, trying not to sound nervous "We wouldn't make your life seem like hell anymore, just peace and love" really? I don't know if I believe it, Malfoy and I would never work as an item.

"No, are you mad?" Al seemed outraged "It would be like Voldemort came back to life, I rather see you and Scorpius yelling at each other than snogging or..." I know he would say 'shagging', but apparently saying the word already terrifies him.

"Albus Severus" I said slowly "You're nuts" I giggled, trying to change the subject.

I don't want to think about shagging. And Malfoy.

"Will you help me?" he asked me "But you have to be discreet"

"Do I have a choice?" I asked hopelessly.

"No" Albus said sincerely "You owe me that"

I rolled my eyes, but knew he was right. Al has always been a brother to me, my closest friend, my best friend and cousin. We are different but still manage to get along very well. I love him and would do anything for this big head. I know he would do anything for me as well.

"Fine" I agreed "But if you hurt her, I will have no mercy" I tried to sound intimidating.

"Please, don't have" Albus said without hesitation "I'm head over heels for this girl" he admitted, suddenly a little shy.

I giggled, it even sounds cute. But I still have to get used to the idea.

"She's unique" Albus said "I would never want to hurt her feelings"

I don't know why. But during our way to the library, and then to Roxy's dorm, I wondered if a boy will ever feel like this about me. It's even weirder to me that the boy that came into my mind as I thought about it was Malfoy.

* * *

I spent the whole day with Roxy and Liam, I intended to stay just with her, and when I saw him I thought that it would be really awful. But in the end they are a lovely couple, the one that you can spend a day by their side and not feel set aside.

They simply know how to behave in public, they are affectionate to each other, but they don't stop every one hour to snog in front of other people. I had such a relaxing day with them.

We played wizard chess, exploding snap, we listened to music – Liam has a strange taste for music -, I showed them muggle films – Grandpa Arthur managed how to make a tablet work without electricity so I could have access to Netflix while I am in Hogwarts -, we made a picnic in her Common Room, we took a nap on the floor while having a funny conversation.

I wanted to spend some time with Roxy, make her relaxed for tomorrow and show my support, but also, I wanted to stay away from Malfoy. I really am avoiding him. After I talked to Dom and I ended up identifying myself with her own descriptions of jealousy, her final conclusion left me scared. I feel even more confused than before, thank you Dominique.

But now, watching Roxy and Liam together, being so affectionate and partners, I feel lonely and wanting to have a relationship like this. It seems so unreal to me to experience this kind of human social interaction. They seem to love each other so much, it's not just physical; I know that Roxy desires him and vice-versa, but it feels like their relationship goes beyond that material border.

I may not be a philosopher, but for the first time I felt the will to experience this kind of relationship, and to understand how deep this contact must be. It felt worse knowing that I wouldn't have it for a while, nobody in Hogwarts is 'datable'. If you know what I mean. Not for me, the Iron Witch.

I just noticed that I slept at Roxy's dormitory when I woke up in the largest couch, with a blanket covering me. Roxy and Liam took care of me last night probably, because the last thing I remember was us watching a film together on the fluffy carpet. Probably I fell asleep so hard that didn't even notice being taken to the couch.

I went back to the Gryffindor Tower to take a bath and change clothes, feeling nervous already for Roxy. Merlin, I forgot to send a letter to my parents or talk about them with Hugo. At least mum I'm certain will be here.

Dom, Ella and I walked together to the Great Hall for breakfast, my stomach already making loud noises.

"Merlin" Dom sighed "You're embarrassing us"

Ella giggled.

"I almost gave up on her friendship during first year when I heard these noises coming from her belly" Ella admitted.

"Hey" I protested, I never had known about it.

Dom was looking better, but just looking. Inside she said that would take time to heal, and the wound would be opened again when she tell all the truth to Lily. At least she said that Lorcan didn't come after her. Actually she had the Marauder's Map so she could avoid his searches for her, apparently he still didn't give up about Dom being his girlfriend, he even asked Louis where his sister was and he had to control himself to not punch the bastard in his face.

The whole family was gathered for breakfast, usually we manage to eat together during meals, but there was always someone missing. Today it was different, we joined James, Fred, Albus, Louis, Hugo, Molly, Lucy, Lily, plus Malfoy, Alice, Matteo, Jack, Harper, Frank, Lysander and even Lorcan. Teddy took a seat with us as well, because he's amazing and cares for all of us, his family.

Also, instead of loud voices and constant giggling, today everybody was quiet, with serious faces and trying to eat fast. The whole family is nervous for Roxy, we could feel the tension in the air.

I don't if it means that we are cowards or that we really care for our brave cousin. Or both, one doesn't invalidate the other.

We finished together our breakfast, a horde of redhead Weasleys, jet black haired Potters and our friends. I was feeling so anxious that the food inside my stomach seemed to be dancing as crazily as Lucy last party.

"Hugo" I called my brother "Have you talked to mum and dad?" I asked him, not certain if I wanted to know about it.

"Yeah" he looked uneasy "They are all coming"

"All?" I asked hesitantly.

"Our grandparents Weasley, our parents, our uncles and aunties, even Victoire" Hugo told me, messing his hair as a sign of anxiety.

"Woah" I said, I was not expecting it, I hope Roxy doesn't see them or she'll feel bloody pressured. Merlin, Roxy is so powerful, I would love to be like her but thankfully I am not, she has to deal with so many things simultaneously.

She's one of my role models, for sure.

"Okay, Weasleys, Potter, friends" Fred turned around to face us, we were at the border of the Black Lake, around us many students were heading to a pier to they could take a boat to the middle of the lake where three high towers similar, but bigger and larger than the ones of the Quidditch Pitch were "Gather around here"

"Yeah" James agreed "We need to keep calm and cheer for our cousin" he said cheerfully.

"We can't let nerves take over us" Fred said louder "We need to be there for Roxy, are you with me?"

"Yeah" a few of us said.

"COME ON" James yelled.

"ARE YOU WITH ME?" Fred tried again, but yelling louder this time.

"YEAH" I felt really motivated, they are right, we don't have morals to let nerves get over us, Roxy is the Triwizard Champion. She needs us to be there for her.

More relieved from the tension, our family walked happily to the boats, and soon we were there, in the towers in the middle of the Black Lake. I had never been this far in the lake, the view from here is so astounding that if left me breathless. Hogwarts on the horizon, the high Scottish mountains around the castle, and surprisingly a beautiful sunny day, a little cold since is autumn already.

"Has anyone found mum?" Hugo asked to our family, we were on the first floor of the tower, trying to find Roxy or another person of our family but failing to do so.

"Do you mean the Minister for Magic?" Malfoy mocked my little brother, making everyone giggle even him.

Awkwardly Hugo and Malfoy have a nice coexistence, my brother never had anything against him. As I told before, when Malfoy told my father that he cheers for the Chudley Cannons he also conquered my little brother's respect. How pathetic.

"Look" Dom pointed to another horde of redhead on the third and last floor of the first Tower, we were on the third.

"Well, at least our hair isn't useless" Lucy commented, earning some chuckles from our family and other people around us.

"MUM" James yelled "DAD" he tried again.

"Merlin" a voice came from behind us "You are so loud, James!"

"ROXY!" Fred yelled, throwing himself on his sister's arms happily and relieved.

"Hello, bid heads" she said relaxed, looking rested and under control.

"This woman is marvellous" Liam murmured to Louis and Hugo.

"Yeah" Louis agreed awkwardly.

"I don't think we agree in the same way" Hugo pointed out, he just can't shut up his big mouth, can he?

Lily grinned happily, embracing both her cousins tightly.

"Hey, everything planned, right?" I asked Roxy as we embraced one last time.

"Yeah, don't worry" she assured me "Thank you, Rosie" Roxy kissed my cheek tenderly, messing my hair before leaving her family behind.

She came to say hello to us before heading to where the other champions were, Stan from Durmstrang and Amelie from Beauxbatons.

We noticed as Amelie winked in Fred's direction, leaving him crimson because James yelled to everybody around that Fred was flirting with his sister's enemy.

"Welcome, students, to the first task of the Triwizard Tournament" McGonagall could be heard from everywhere, probably using an amplifier spell "It's with delight that I welcome the Minister for Magic, Hermione Granger-Weasley, and the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, Astoria Malfoy, to officially start the first task"

Funny. My mum and Malfoy's mum. Together. Here at Hogwarts.

Apparently Malfoy found it funny as well, because he glanced to me before averting his eyes.

And also, apparently I'm not the only one avoiding each other. We are truly pathetic, for Merlin's beard!

"Good morning, students, professors, families of the Champions" Mrs. Malfoy said politely "It's with great pleasure that the Department of International Magical Cooperation welcomes all of you to this great event"

"And I, as Minister for Magic, Hermione Jean Granger-Weasley, say" mum stopped, directing her wand from her throat to the giant golden clock in a fourth but smaller tower beside ours "Let the first task begins!"

With a loud cheer from the students in the towers at the middle of the Black Lake, I saw anxiously as Roxanne Weasley jumped in her red swimsuit with a giant gold W on the front without hesitation into the cold and dark water, disappearing with the other champions as the giant golden clock made its first move.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ First of all, please don't kill me, my readers! I know, the first task has started in this chapter but will be only on the next chapter! I'm sorry, but I had other things to write on this one! I hope you like Chapter 16 though!

I would like you to know that this is the longest chapter I've ever written for Mischief Managed, so I hope to see more reviews for Chapter 16! I'll be waiting for your feedback, guys!

I also want to thank two Guest reviewers for their kind words:

To Guest _1_ – I hope I don't disappoint you, Chapter 17 certainly will be about the first task! I'm glad that you enjoyed the party, I tried to make you guys feel how awesome it was and I'm glad that at least you felt like this! Mission accomplished, then! I hope to not let you down about the couples, it's really funny to me to write about the relationships in this fanfic! Thank you so much for your compliment and support, I'm glad you are enjoying my story and I hope to read more about your opinion soon! See you around!

To Guest _2_ – You made me laugh! I like to mess with Rose's feelings, Scorpius certainly knows how to do it anyway! I hope you like how I dealt with Rose/Scorpius and Dom/Lorcan in this chapter, and that you enjoy it as well! Thank you very much for your review, it means a lot to me!

See you soon,

 _Binki_


	17. Underwater Secrets

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, folks.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Seventeen – Underwater Secrets**

Many things could be pissing me off right now. Lily biting her nail since Roxy jumped into the Black Lake, Louis trying to flirt in French with his cousin Genevieve's friends while trying to make Hugo part of the conversation too (although my brother doesn't speak French), James talking in an awkwardly polite way with Violet and her group of friends (he has been spending a lot of time with them, apparently Violet changed from loathing him to being his best friend), Fred and Liam apparently praying to as many Gods as they know, Ella and Lysander trying to identify the species they get with a fishing rod (always giving them back to the Lake though), Lucy having her hair braid by Molly and complaining all the time (Molls is not very good at it to she has to braid her little sister's hair all over), Alice and Matteo having a weird conversation while he tries to get Lily's attention to save him (Alice is not bad, she's just too young to manage the art of flirting), Frank practising Morse code with Albus and Jack (my cousin had to indoctrinate the poor boy to learn this), Malfoy and Teddy remembering about their childhood together and having a great laugh about it (I have to say that is cute to see both of them having such an affectionate bond, it warmed my heart until Malfoy looked to me with a puzzled expression and then averting his eyes from mine).

He still insists to act like I do.

I am allowed to avoid him, but he shouldn't be doing it with me. It's frustrating.

Anyway. Many things could be pissing me off right now, as I've said. But what is irritating me the most is Dom and Lorcan's sexual tension. Like, seriously? They could be more discreet at least, Lily is right beside us, just like the rest of the family that think that everything is fine.

I'm seated on the border of the wooden floor, my feet on the water of the Black Lake. Dom was lying down on my lap as I caressed her beautiful hair. My intention was for her to relax but I could feel her tense while exchanging glances with Lorcan, who was on the other side but I felt like if he was very near us.

Harper was by my side, enjoying the view as well as we talked after a long time.

I adore Harper, you must be really stupid like James Potter to leave her for Violet MacGrath. I don't know, but there's something about her that I just can't stand. She looks so false and pretending to be someone she's not that she makes me feel uneasy just by looking at her perfect face.

"Dom, could you please restrain yourself" I murmured to my cousin while Harper was talking about how she misses the Quidditch matches.

"Sorry" Dom apologised, closing her eyes and turning her head to the marvellous view in front of us instead of Lorcan "You're right"

"I know" I replied quickly.

"I can't wait for this tournament to end" Harper murmured bitterly.

"I know how you're feeling" I said "I am supporting Roxy but I would rather to be playing Quidditch"

"And that's my last year in Hogwarts, so I'm really pissed off" she said as we giggled.

A silence fell between us, and I could notice how she was eyeing James with Violet sadly.

"I don't understand him" Harper murmured.

"He's just acting like a child" I tried to comfort her.

"He is a child" Harper said "But I used to be by his side to scold him when he needed to be"

"Hey" I got her attention "Don't feel sad, he's the loser here"

"I wish you were right, Rosie" Harper said sadly "But I miss him so much" her voice got muffed, her tears probably near to stream down her face.

"Don't cry for him, Harper" I demanded "It's his fault, and if being like this with his best friend is okay for him, then he doesn't deserve your friendship"

"Listen to Rosie" Dom murmured bitterly "She's always right, unfortunately"

"Merlin, stop the drama" I asked dramatically, making Dom and Harper giggle lightly "You two shouldn't be crying because of stupid guys"

"It's easy for you to say" Harper said "You don't get attached to anyone"

"She's the Iron Witch, after all" Dom agreed.

Oh, little did they know.

"Attached?" I asked Harper curiously, trying to change the subject from me, like I always do when I feel uncomfortable with something.

"Yeah" Harper said, her voice low, she was almost whispering "Funny how you notice that what you had matter so much for you just when you lose it"

"What?" Dom asked Harper, suddenly her eyes as wide as Lysander's.

"What do you mean, Harper?" I asked cautiously, Merlin, it cannot be true.

"I noticed how much I miss James..." she confessed.

"And?" Dom insisted, noticing just like me that it was not finished.

"And how much I love him more than just a friend" Harper said fast, covering her mouth right after it.

Dom squealed, getting other people's attention. I scolded her for not being discreet but she ignored me, absorbed in the excitement of a gossip. Dom is so much like Effie sometimes. Really, they can't even try to deny it.

"Do you love James?" Dom asked expectantly.

Well, as least she doesn't look like a zombie anymore, looking to Lorcan every two seconds.

"I think..." Harper was trying to say "Yeah, I do, I love him more than a best friend" she admitted, realisation hitting her.

Apparently she's not used to admitting her feelings aloud, nor is used to know that she loves her ex-best friend in not just a friendly manner.

"James has to know it!" Dom said, still lying down on my lap but now she just doesn't stop moving.

She's pissing me off right now.

"Dom" I scolded her "Stop it!"

"He can't!" Harper said "I don't want him to know about my feelings"

"Why?" I asked confused.

"Because love hurts" Harper said sadly "It sounds so bloody cliché, I know, but it's true"

"I know" Dom agreed, suddenly sad again.

Merlin, I can't deal with two girls in love and not being able to be with the guys they love. It's too much for me. Why suddenly everybody has to be in love and notice their true feelings for each other?

"Loving someone is quite pathetic" Harper murmured "but must be the best feeling in the whole bloody world to be loved back for that person you love"

"It doesn't even sound like you" I couldn't restrain myself, it's just so bloody weird.

"Pardon Rosie, Harper" Dom scolded me this time "She lacks finesse and sensibility"

"Don't worry" Harper grinned "I know how she is"

"Hey!" I protested "I'm here" I hate when people act like if I'm not around when I am clearly around.

"Good" Dom said "So apologise for being rude"

"What?" I asked incredulously.

"She's just mocking you, Rosie" Harper beamed, her eyes watery.

"Oh, I know her very well" I said, pinching her nose and earning an angry complain from Dom.

"I miss you guys so much" Harper said sadly.

I hate James for making Harper sad, this girl is so awesome and the only one that really stands his bullshit. How he could leave her is out of my understanding.

"We miss you too" I said "See, I can be sensible"

"Shut up, Rosie" Dom scolded me playfully "You know, you don't have to stay away from us just because James is a prat"

"I know" Harper said, grinning as Dom called James a prat, indeed he is "But you guys are his family, I don't want to make you guys feeling uneasy with the tension between James and I"

"Don't worry" I said playfully "We rather you than him"

"Yeah, he's so loud" Dom commented, frowning with memories of James being loud. There are too many for my taste. He just has to yell for every bloody reason.

"Even this side of him I miss" Harper said "But honestly his family is the best part of him"

"We know it, right" Dom agreed.

And suddenly they were not crying anymore, we stayed like this, enjoying each other's company while waiting for Roxy to come back.

Merlin, she has to come back, or I would feel guilty for the rest of my life if something happens with her.

I looked around me again. So many dear people, and they are so stupid. At least about their love life.

So, apparently: Lily likes Lorcan, who likes Dom and she likes him back, but she can't stay with him because her younger and beloved cousin is in love with him; this same cousin's best friend Alice likes Matteo, who likes Lily since the first time he laid his eyes on her, but his vocabulary is restricted to 'well' and not being able to express his feelings to her; then, Harper likes James, who likes Violet that is a mystery to me, but I rather if she didn't mess with my cousin's already damaged heart; finally, a less complicated and possible couple, Fred and Amelie, she apparently got over the accident of Fred vomiting on her beautiful blue dress; oh, how could I forget, Albus likes Ella that doesn't have any idea about my cousin's feelings and is always hanging out with him and loony Lysander Scamander, who seems to be asexual, at least I can't imagine him with someone; Liam and Roxy are probably going to marry and have children in a few years because they apparently were made to each other.

I think that's all. At least Lucy, Molly, Hugo and Louis are not in love with someone or I would get mad.

Finally there's Malfoy and me, but love is not in the same phrase with us, just physical attraction and relieving sexual tension. Besides the fact that nobody knows about us, just Ella and Roxy that know something is going on between us.

Merlin. I could feel a headache coming just by thinking about how love can be complicate. It would be much easier if we liked the right people, so many problems could be avoided. Seriously, can't we drop Amortentia in people's juice so we can match them properly?

Mum would say I'm raving but it makes much more sense.

What is love, after all? I don't think I'll ever know it. Love in a romantically involved sense, love in a way that make you do stupid things like not being able to tell the one you love about your feelings because rejection is traumatizing, or like making you get involved with your cousin's almost boyfriend, even knowing how wrong it is.

I don't want to be like this then, I rather not to be in love.

"I don't understand" I hear Fred's anxious voice "They should be back already"

"Fred" Liam said in a weird tone "You're making me feel uneasy"

Oh, the same tone when we are about to vomit. Not good.

Poor Liam and Fred, I love Roxy and she's one of my best friends and my dear cousin, but being her boyfriend or twin must be a tough job. She gives us too much emotion.

"Notice how Fred said 'they' and not 'she'" Dom commented, her gossip tone back to her voice.

"Oh" Harper realised what she meant "Amelie, right?"

"Yeah, I saw them snogging at the party" Dom whispered.

"Really?" I asked surprised "I thought they were knowing each other yet"

"People know each other through many ways, Rosie" Harper giggled lightly.

"Snogging is one of them" Dom agreed "Oh, I met so many this way that I can differentiate them from their lips, not their faces"

"DOM" I scolded her playfully "You're so naughty"

We were giggling loudly, not being able to restrain each other.

"I never denied that I am" Dom said.

"LOOK" Fred yelled desperately this time.

Everybody got so scared that Dom almost fell to the Lake as Harper and I got quickly to our feet to see what he was pointing at.

A body floating calmly on the Lake's dark and serene surface, looking like a scene from a muggle terror movie. A woman's body.

"What the bloody hell?" I hear my brother screaming.

"Merlin!" Lily exclaimed.

"Rosie" Dom gulped, joining Harper by my side "Tell me it's not Roxy"

I couldn't think straight, it seemed like the nightmare from the last Triwizard Tournament was coming back to this one, even though Voldemort is not among us anymore.

"Someone go get her!" I heard Albus saying desperately.

Before I could notice what was going on, everything happened really fast.

Fred and Liam jumped into the Black Lake, swimming quickly to reach the floating body. I noticed Liam's relief when they turned the person around to see her face and realised that she was not Roxy. But then Fred screamed desperate when he noticed it was Amelie Marchand.

Then, Roxy appeared by their side, her green mermaid tail behind her as she had apparently a rolled map in her hands. At the same time, mum was at the Champion's platform with Astoria Malfoy by her side and the tournament's medical team levitating Amelie body to the mat waiting for her.

Stanislav was the last to appear, his shark forming getting back to his normal body, the rolled map in his mouth, his eyes scared as he watched Amelie being levitated.

I tried to see what else was happening, but my height didn't let me, and there were so many people around me that I couldn't see how things were going.

"Attention, please" Headmistress McGonagall's voice could be heard amplified "Firstly, Miss Amelie Marchand, the Triwizard Champion for Beauxbatons, is having the proper medical care she needs, don't worry" everybody was silent, nobody knew what to say and how to react respectfully to it, things like this shouldn't be happening anymore in the Wizarding World "Secondly, I want all the students from Hogwarts, Beauxbatons and Durmstrang back to the castle, now!"

Loud footsteps could be heard as the student ran desperately to get on the boats back to the castle.

I noticed how mum and Mrs. Malfoy were talking seriously to each other and Headmistress McGonagall, while Amelie was being attended right beside them on the wooden floor.

Fred and Liam joined Roxy and Stan at the Champion's platform, their faces desperate and worried. Liam and Fred embracing Roxy like if they were afraid of losing her.

"Let's go, Rosie!" Ella called me, she was on a boat with Lysander, Albus and Malfoy already.

I hurried to meet them, all the time turning back to see what was going on there. Merlin, it's horrible when you're mum is Minister for Magic but you can't have the perks of being her daughter.

I wanted to be there, to know how had been the task, if Amelie was okay and what had really happened.

The ride back to the castle was silent, all the boats had low murmuring about what we had witnessed.

"Aunt Hermione will be so pissed off" Albus said quietly.

"Firstly we need to know if Amelie is alive, for Merlin's beard!" Ella exclaimed.

Malfoy and I exchanged an understanding glance, finally leaving our childish behaviour behind. Our mothers are the head of the Tournament, they will be furious about whatever happened. Amelie must be fine, she will be or things would be much worse.

"Of course she's alive" Lysander commented, his dreamy tone and expression never leaving his voice or his face.

"How do you know?" Malfoy asked him, his face serious.

"We have to think like this" Lysander replied "So everything will be fine"

Merlin. For the first time I'm hoping that something Lysander is saying may be truth.

* * *

All of our family and friends were gathered at Roxy's dormitory, waiting for her to come out from her room with Liam. Even our uncles and aunties and my father were here, my grandparents Weasley went back to the Burrow.

"Your mum is furious" dad was telling me and Hugo "She had always been against the Triwizard Tournament because she thinks it's a terrible way of international cooperation between the European schools, and then it happens" he seemed to be complaining actually.

"You can deal with her fury, dad" I said trying to comfort him.

"Yeah, you've been doing it for decades" Hugo patted on his back reassuringly.

Dad beamed to us, appreciating our efforts.

We had been informed as we arrived back at the castle that Amelie was alive, but had to stay at the Hospital Wing for further evaluation.

"Do you think Hermione will cancel the Tournament, Harry?" dad asked my uncle, who was embracing a sobbing Lily since they arrived here at the Head's dormitory. She's such a daddy's girl.

"Perhaps" uncle Harry said, messing his hair nervously just like James and Albus are used to do "But it's Hermione, she will manage to find a way to deal with it"

"Let's make a bet" uncle George said, but his voice was tense, he was clearly trying to make fun of the situation, but not because he is insensible, but because he is uncle George. His job is to make people laugh and he comforts his family through a joke or a funny artefact from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes.

Aunt Angelina didn't even pat him this time, she was just walking from one side to another, waiting for Roxy to come out.

"I still get a little amazed being in the same room with your family" Ella murmured to me.

"That's because you are always travelling during holidays and you rarely goes to the Burrow" I said bitterly.

"Sorry, I'll fix that" Ella promised me, embracing me tightly.

Merlin, seeing Amelie's body floating in the Lake before knowing it was her and thinking it could be Roxy made me feel so uneasy that I almost fainted. I imagine my parents having to live with the fear of losing a family member or a friend when Voldemort was still alive. I admire them even more for their braveness.

"FINALLY" James yelled loudly.

"Apparently Roxy is here" Dom murmured.

"James never disappoints us" Lily muttered to her father, who winked sweetly to her.

Oh, if uncle Harry knew what Lorcan had done to his precious little daughter.

"Whoa" Roxy exclaimed surprised, her eyes suddenly getting watery as she faced her family "I'm so glad you're all here" she embraced her parents first, and then Fred, her cousins and friends.

I got emotional, I was so happy for seeing her doing fine and alive. I could feel tears streaming down my face of relief after I embraced Roxy tightly.

"Now tell us, Roxy" aunt Angelina pleaded her "What happened, daughter?"

And then we spent the whole afternoon listening to Roxy saying about the task, we even lost lunch.

She told us how she used the Transfiguration spell Malfoy and I found in a book at the library that turned her into a mermaid, so she could breathe underwater and move quickly. Then she swam until she could find something, since the Lake was very silent that it made her scared for a while. She had to perform a few defensive spells against some creatures as she found an abandoned ship covered with mud. Inside it she said it was so dark that even with Lumos she felt in the dark. So, something strange happened. Roxy heard a loud noise and a desperate pleading while she had found the rolled maps in a trunk, one was missing already. It meant that Amelie or Stan had been there before, she noticed. As she got outside the ship and worried with the noises she heard, Roxy conjured a Disillusionment Charm to go unnoticed as she got back to the surface. That was when she saw Amelie floating, her eyes closed like if she was asleep.

"I had never felt so desperate in my life, I tried to swim faster, but..." Roxy was sobbing now, I could feel the pain in her voice, not an easy scene to witness "Then I saw that two people jumped to get her body and I managed to get back to the surface"

"You did well, mon ch _é_ ri" aunt Fleur tried to comfort Roxy, kissing her forehead.

But I could see that my aunt was a little scared, like if reviving her own traumas about the tournament.

We stayed in silence, not knowing what to say.

"Why does it seem like it's happening all over again?" Hugo asked the adults, his voice shivering a little.

Everybody looked afraid.

Us, the new generation, we never lived with fear. We are lucky enough that our parents built us a better world, they lived in darkness and fought against it so we could live in a better, more democratic and respectful place. All we had heard about living afraid of the world were their stories, their traumas, and their fears. To be reviving it must be horrible for them, but for us, which had never lived like this before, it was even worse.

"We'll find out, Hugo" uncle Harry said, touching his scar.

It's something we got used to and heard stories about as well, how uncle Harry's scar used to pain when Voldemort was near or they were in danger.

"Please, don't tell that your scar is in pain" dad begged uncle Harry, his blue eyes wide with worry.

Merlin, I would have laughed if it was not serious.

All the family and our friends were looking expectantly to uncle Harry, in a dilemma between the excitement of seeing The Boy-Who-Lived in action again and the fear of reviving all the danger that should have stayed in the past come to the present.

"Of course not" uncle Harry said, giggling to light up the mood, I felt how the room got less tense, but still the air was stiff and cold "I just don't want you to have to feel the amount of fear and isolation we felt when we were your age" he was talking to us, his nieces and nephews, his sons and daughter.

With a strength from who had lived in a Wizarding World that used to be dark and with a love that has maintained our family united, my cousins, my friends and I witnessed as our parents, uncles and aunties engulfed us in a giant embrace, like if showing how fear and darkness have no place in here.

* * *

After what happened at the first task, we were just told during dinner at the Great Hall on Monday that Amelie was doing fine but would have to be kept at the Hospital Wing, and that a detailed inquiry was being held by the Department of International Magical Cooperation and the Ministry of Magic. Which means that my mum and Malfoy's mum are working together to solve this puzzle.

This would be really funny if things weren't really serious.

Headmistress McGonagall did a great job to reassure the students that all was well. But it didn't convince me. Things just don't seem right to me. Not after I remembered Heather and Lisa's suspicious acts at the library before the first task.

My suspicion that someone is trying to sabotage the tournament just gets stronger with time. But why would someone do it? With which purpose? It's just an adolescent competition between schools after all.

Fred has been out of himself recently, he spends all his spare time at the Hospital Wing with Amelie, apparently she still can't do things on her own.

Albus just doesn't leave me alone to help him find ideas about how to ask Ella out for Hogsmeade, I had almost forgotten about it. I wanted to tell Al to leave Ella alone because we always go there together, we love Hogsmeade.

Who doesn't, right? During winter is even more lovely beside the coldness.

But what's the funny of drinking butterbeer or a hot chocolate if it's not snowing outside?

As I was saying, Ella and I always go to Hogsmeade together. We spend our day at _Zonko's Joke Shop_ (although uncle George says we shouldn't go to the rival's store when we are Weasleys and there is a _Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes_ shop in Hogsmeade as well – but we wouldn't be Weasleys if we didn't do exactly the opposite of what we are told to); we also buy loads of candies at _Honeydukes_ ; sometimes doing some repairs at _Dervish and Banges_ (which is very useful to us because Ella and I are ambulant disasters, the personification of clumsy); Ella also makes me stop at _Dogweed and Deathcap_ to take a look on Herbology items and then at the _Gladrags Wizardwear_ because her mum loves the lurid and screaming socks they sell there; I love to go to _Scrivenshaft's Quill Shop_ because I am addicted to quills and I always need a new one, then I make her stop with me at _Spintwitches Sporting Needs_ to buy some items for Quidditch; we end up taking a drink and eating something at the _Three Broomsticks_ before finishing our day at _The Magic Neep_ , a greengrocer's shop that is one of Ella favourite places and the vegan's paradise; and finally we go to _Tomes and Scrolls_ because I rather books than people.

What I mean is that I miss so much going to Hogsmeade that I can't wait weekend to come so I can finally go back there. With Ella. And Albus.

Is it too evil of me to be hoping that Al doesn't have enough courage to ask Ella to Hogsmeade so I can have my perfect day with her, as we've always been doing for years now?

Anyway, also he may ask her out but she can say no. Is it even more evil of me to be hoping it happens in case he has enough courage to ask her out?

Merlin's beard, I should stop being so evil. I should cheer for Al since he really likes Ella. I'll try for him. But if they spend the day together in Hogsmeade, with whom will I go?

Okay, I have a really huge family, company is not a problem at all. Also I have other friends. But the idea of not having Ella with me during my day in Hogsmeade is a little irritating.

I have possessiveness' issues, I know.

"Weasel" Malfoy greeted me as I met him outside the Head's dormitory.

Roxy had allowed me to use it so Malfoy and I could finish our Veritaserum and start to brew our Amortentia peacefully.

"Malfoy" I replied, distracted with my own thoughts.

I said the password as we entered the Common Room, heading to a large table on the corner.

We stayed quiet for a while, following the instructions to finish our Veritaserum. Our almost perfect Veritaserum.

If it was a normal day I would be feeling frustrated with our silence, but after everything that happened I had so much inside my head that it was almost like Malfoy was not beside, but many Roses were around me talking a lot of things at the same bloody time.

"Malfoy" I finally said, I need to open up with someone about my thoughts and he was the one that was with me at the library "Do you remember that night we saw Heather and Lisa trying to get some books from the Library?" I asked in a serious tone of voice.

Luckily he is clever enough to join me in my seriousness.

"Yeah" he replied cautiously.

"And then Amelie appears unconscious during first task..." I muttered.

"Weasel" Malfoy interrupted me "Do you think these cases are related, right?" it seemed rather a rhetorical question than a real one for me.

"Do I sound mad?" I asked sincerely.

"Actually, no" he admitted, rubbing the back of his head as he seemed immersed in his own thoughts "I've been thinking about it lately as well"

Well. At least our intelligence isn't useless.

"What are we gonna do, then?" I asked him, feeling a little lost.

"What do you mean?" he replied confused.

"Seriously?" I asked Malfoy, not believing he didn't think about interfering "We should investigate it, there's something wrong and we know it"

"What can we do, Weasel?" Malfoy asked me curiously.

"I don't know, but we have to do something" I said "Heather is in our year, she's in your House, perhaps we could start with her"

"But why would she interfere in the tournament?" Malfoy questioned me, but it seems like if he's asking himself.

"Perhaps she gets something for doing it, don't you remember what she said to Lisa?" I was trying hard to remember.

"She's very ambitious, she could want anything" Malfoy muttered.

"But who would give what she wants? Who would have this power?" I was really asking myself, trying to find an answer but nothing seems clear.

Makes it look like some pieces are missing from this puzzle.

"Not a student" Malfoy affirmed without hesitation "Perhaps someone from Beauxbaton or Durmstrang?"

"Woah!" I exclaimed impressed, I hadn't thought about it "It makes sense" I admitted "But if Beauxbatons is trying to sabotage the tournament why would they hurt Amelie, their own champion?"

"Hm" Malfoy looks really hot when he's brainstorming, Merlin, I need to focus, but it's not my fault if he keeps messing his hair and loosened his tie while he thinks "We have two options"

"Indeed" I agreed "First, it could be a way to go undercover"

"Or Amelie wasn't the intended target" Malfoy said.

"Wait" I said, hesitating to allow myself to think about that possibility "You think that Roxy could be the target?"

I gulped with fear. Nobody touches my cousin!

"Or Stanislav" Malfoy murmured "There are too many 'if'"

"Malfoy" I said in a determinate tone.

"Weasel" he replied me, not hesitating.

Probably this bastard knows me well enough so he already knows my idea.

"We are going to find out what is going on" I notified him.

"Are you asking for my help because I am the cleverest and most capable student from Hogwarts?" Malfoy asked to mock me, flattering his big ego because he knows how much it pisses me off.

But what could I say? He is very clever, and perceptive, and cunning, and his guile side make him a great partner in crime. Or to uncover the crime.

"Yes and no" I said simply, not daring to flatter his ego but also not being able to lie to myself "You're gonna do as I command, thought" I said playfully, but indeed I would love to have Malfoy obeying me.

"Oh yeah" he agreed sarcastically "Instruct me"

I beamed playfully, feeling less tense than I was before. Malfoy is not the best company but I don't doubt that if someone can help me solve that mystery this person is him. It's hard to me to admit it, but it's true.

"Put the sage to finish it" I commanded him in a bossy tone, earning from him an irritated gaze "Then it will be perfect"

"I know, Weasel" he complained, rolling his grey eyes, but chuckled lightly as we watched our Veritaserum becoming clear and odourless as water.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, my readers! I hope you like Chapter 17! Also, have you noticed how inspired I've been recently? My chapter are longer and my updates are faster than before.

Please, I would like to have a **feedback** about my story! So remember to write your **review** at the end of the chapter! You can do it anonymously as a Guest or using your login.

I would like to thank every single one of you who have been reading my fanfic and supporting me since the beginning, it really means a lot guys! I hope to read more about all of you, I know anyway that are many of you reading Mischief Managed and I feel really honoured to be able to touch you with my words!

Perhaps you guys could tell where are you from? I am as curious as Rose!

I'm gonna reply to my last reviewers here:

To _Rose Wazlib_ – Thank you so much for your review! I'm glad you enjoy my fanfic and hope to read more of your opinion here! Thank you for your support and kind words!

To _Guest_ for Chapter 15 – I'm glad to know you liked the chapter so much that you can't stop rereading it! I've been posting recently so I hope you're not disappointed! Thank you so much for your feedback to me!

To _missfizwizbiz_ – Hello, dear! What a pleasure to see you're still with me! Really, thank you so much for your reviews! I'm glad to know that you are with me through all the chapters and that you're not disappointed with my writing! Please, let me know what you think about Chapter 17! I know you've been waiting for the task for a long time so I hope I don't disappoint you! My main focus is not the tournament, but I hope you like it anyway! Feel free to express yourself here! My heart melts with your compliments about my Rose, really! Thank you so much, missfizwizbiz for you unconditional and faithful support, it means a lot to me!

See you soon, folks!

 _Binki_


	18. May the odds be ever in your favour

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, folks! Jo takes all the credit!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Eighteen – May the odd be ever in your favour**

If I could describe this week with one word I probably wouldn't find the best since there are so many that could fit it perfectly. They are all similar, but still I don't know which would be the best. Odd, peculiar, awful, weird, awkward, strange, uneasy? Perhaps all of them together and mixed...

Amelie was still in the Hospital Wing taking medical treatment, apparently she was stupefied with such power that it left her unconscious, also she almost drowned, the amount of water in her lungs had been taken off but still she had to rest to recover from what happened. The question that didn't leave my head was why someone would attack her? Which purpose would motivate someone to do it? Why her?

Then, Albus and his sudden need to express his feelings for my best friend Ella. He wanted my help and although I wanted to say no I just couldn't, it's Albus, he's my best friend and favourite cousin, we're almost like siblings.

Actually, it's not that odd if I remember his recent behaviour of drooling for her and spending time with her, more than he ever had in the last years. The strangest thing was that he really found courage to ask her out for Hogsmeade. It happened in a very... Embarrassing way, it wouldn't be Albus Potter if it hadn't been that way. He asked for my help and we were plotting how to do it during lunch on Wednesday, but then Ella appeared behind us and asked what were our plans for Hogsmeade and then he blurted out 'EllawillyougotoHogsmeadewithme?', in his typical Albus way of doing things: being clumsy and a bit insecure.

Not that Albus is insecure, he's just more shy and discreet than James, and less fearless than Lily, and also there's the fact that his dad is Harry bloody Potter, the Wizarding World saviour, first of his name, king of kindness and Patronums. He feels the pressure, the expectations are always upon him. This is awful, clearly. But he's also a Weasley, we tend to do the opposite people expect us to. So instead of being really insecure and a coward and so shy he stays in the shadow of his bloody brilliant father and outstanding brother and sister, as people probably expect him to do, he did the other way round.

And, the strangest of the strangest thing of the day happened: Ella said yes. Not just the fact she said yes is awkward, as also the fact that she understood what he said is even more awkward. Merlin, I predict embarrassing situations here. Because Ella is as blind as I am, she just doesn't notice the world around her; perhaps that's why she's such a friend to the looniest person I know, Lysander Scamander. What I mean is that Ella didn't notice Albus' real intentions, which is funny while being silly. Seriously, even I would know when a guy is asking me to a date! But Ella is worse than me! And I admit my flaws! She said yes, indeed, but then she said that would call Lysander as well and that Albus would love to spend the day with me and her since we have our usual schedule for Hogsmeade.

Albus' face fell with disappointment, which was funny to witness. At the same time I felt bad for him, not that much because I don't how is to feel like this, but I still did because I know how much effort it took from him to do it and express his feelings. He's not bad at showing them, Ella is just horrible to notice them. And that's Ella, she's just clueless to the world. Then, Albus surprised me, because although I could notice he was expecting things had gone differently, he still was elated to be able to spend the day with her, even having to share her with Lysander and I.

I decided to let them be as I noticed how Albus really likes Ella, when you are capable to leave your feelings behind for someone it really means something. Merlin, it makes me uneasy. I left them on the table as they talked happily about what they could do in Hogsmeade during the weekend.

That's what I call the oddly strange Albus' drama.

Now the other awkward situation.

Dom being all sad while Lorcan looks miserable and Lily looks worried. But she doesn't know what's going on. And although I've been telling Dom everyday that she has to solve the problem before someone discovers it and tell to Lily, which would be the worst possibility. Then things would get even more fucked up than they already are. But she just doesn't listen to me anymore, she seems stuck in her own bubble of misery.

Merlin, all of this for a guy! And we are talking about Dominique Weasley, she snogs every week but never gets attached to anyone.

How ironical this year has been so far? I can't even verbalize my dissatisfaction, my life and the life of the people around me used to be so peaceful. Arguing and bickering with Malfoy seems more peaceful than our current state.

Which takes me to the other weird thing that happened this week: Malfoy and Rose Weasley are really cooperating so solve an underwater mystery plus suspicious' actions of an unbearable colleague.

We are taking our investigation so seriously that we decided on Friday night during patrols to make our first move during the Hogsmeade weekend. Also is a way to leave Albus and Ella alone, Lysander apparently is still going with them...

"Seriously?" I asked Malfoy incredulously.

"Yeah" he said nonchalantly, but I could see he was feeling a little bad with the situation "I had to help Albus, he was almost fainting after Ella said yes but then put you and Lysander in the middle of their supposed-to-be date"

"That's like committing a crime, you know?" I asked while trying to sound serious but failing miserably.

This situation is just too hilarious to not laugh.

"Weasel" Malfoy reprehended me, but I know that I was getting under his skin, he was looking kind of guilty "There were just a few Puking Pastilles..."

"Still, he was enjoying his pudding like he always do..." I tried to make fun of him but he always has to irritatingly interrupt me

"And it was not my idea, it was Fred's" he was trying to take the guilty off him, but it didn't seem to be working.

"Anyway, you did the job, so..." I tried again, but of course he still interrupted me.

He pisses me off so much. And he knows how much I get irritated when he does it.

"Also, it's a Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes product, it has your name on it, not mine" he was almost yelling right now.

Merlin, I take his interruptions if I can see him losing his self control like this, it's hilarious!

It pays off my irritation, really. I can't even complain, it's like a constant joke in front of me.

"Stop it" Malfoy demanded pissed off, rolling his grey eyes while witnessing my foolishness. What can I do? He's hilarious!

"Fine" I agreed, but my giggle came out from my mouth, making Malfoy roll his eyes again "Really, the poor boy is vomiting his bowels!"

"That's gross, Weasel!" Malfoy complained, indeed it would be disgusting if the whole situation wasn't so hilarious.

Right now Malfoy and I are waiting behind a statue, the Marauder's Map in my hand and the Invisibility Cloak over Malfoy's arm. Strong and warm arm, as I record. We didn't have much time to snog this week, unfortunately.

Well, I shouldn't be feeling so miserable due to my lack of Malfoy, but I just couldn't restrain my hormones.

I don't think he could as well, Malfoy kept looking from my eyes to my mouth. Not today, Malfoy! We have something much more important to do!

We could solve the mystery today, if we are lucky enough. And usually I am not. But okay. I'll try to be positive because something needs to end up well here.

And I don't think that it's Ella and Albus nor Dom and Lorcan, so I have to stick with Malfoy and I.

After all I'm losing a funny weekend at Hogsmeade because I had the precious idea of solving a mystery that may involve unpleasant things.

"Right, look" I said, pointing to the map.

I have to say that I love to have the power of knowing where everybody is, what they are probably doing and with whom. I know it sounds creepy, but I just can't restrain myself. My curiosity is my sin.

"She's walking in circles in front of the Great Hall" Malfoy said as we watched the footsteps on the map with the name Heather Nott.

Indeed she's doing it.

"Is it a sign?" Malfoy asked himself, immersed in thoughts.

"Of course not, genious" I replied, not believing he was considering it "Don't be a fool"

"Your company gives me such pleasure" Malfoy said in a mocking tone, his sarcasm clear in his voice.

"I know, I feel your budge" I replied in an arrogant tone. Firstly because it's truth, second because I like to mock him using his own tone. Very entertaining to see his expression changing from ironic to pissed off.

Merlin, I'm glad that we're over that phase of keeping the Malfoy facade. One less thing to worry about, I already have to deal with too many things.

"Look here!" Malfoy was giggling "Lysander is in the Hospital Wing"

"The remorse is over then?" I asked to tease him.

His face fell immediately.

"You're such a hypocrite for your family name and business" Malfoy said incredulously.

I just rolled my eyes, not daring to reply so we could start a fight and miss any single detail that could give us any of the answers we need.

"It's a Hogsmeade weekend and we're gonna spend it following Heather Nott footsteps..." I commented indignantly, shaking my head in distress.

"Doesn't it feel like we are at the bottom of social life?" Malfoy asked rhetorically, but indeed I agree with him.

I told that the week has been really awful. Awkward. Uneasy.

I'm feeling uneasy right now.

Such a depressive way of spending my Saturday.

Following Heather Nott secretly and still having to deal with Malfoy. What a duo.

"Al and Ella are heading to the Three Broomsticks" I muttered.

"What's the deal?" he asked me.

"We have a whole schedule during our weekends at Hogsmeade" I said sadly. I was expecting it for so long to not have it at all.

"Good thing Albus is making things his own way" Malfoy muttered, also not taking his eyes off the map.

You may get addicted just to look at the map, see how it never stops. It's fascinating! I wonder how the Marauders managed to do such a piece of art, because that's what the Map really is. Art. And Mischief. What makes it an even better and unique piece of art!

"It's not gonna work, you know, right?" I affirmed, ready to get in an argument because Malfoy is bloody stubborn and thinks he's always right.

"How can you be such a pessimist?" he sounded incredulous.

"Seriously, grumpy?" I couldn't believe Mr. Moody was scolding me for behaviour notoriously his.

"What?" he asked me confused.

Merlin, I think that sometimes we sound mad. He's mental!

"I know Ella, she's my best friend" I muttered without hesitation.

"Have you noticed how you arrogantly presume that you know everything when actually you are very clueless about what happens around you?" Malfoy asked me in a serious tone, his eyes averting my gaze.

What the bloody hell happened in a short time of five seconds?  
"The first part you are talking about yourself, right?" I couldn't believe it, how dare he? I couldn't stand his... peculiar personality. His inflated ego. His giant self assurance.

There's not that much space for us. Not when he occupies the whole place with him.

"And the second is definitely about you" he smirked, but it didn't last long.

And then, suddenly, a sweet memory came back to my mind.

'Because you came into my mind immediately'

This time as I remembered it, my heart skipped, its beat hard against my chest, its sound loud and getting faster.

Merlin, why? It's not time for it.

My blue eyes locked with his grey ones, is it what he was talking about? Why am I clueless? Just because I acted like if I didn't know what he said to me before I fall asleep after the party at the Common Room's comfy couch.

Funny how I remember waking up in my bed next morning...

Wait, wait, wait!

What the bloody hell is going on?

"Did you..." I tried to say, but my throat was dry "Did you take me to my bed after I fall asleep that day at the Common Room?" I finally managed to ask, my heart skipping so fast in my chest that I swear it would blow out from me. Merlin's beard, is he being able to hear my heart?

Why am I feeling so nervous right now, what do I expect depending on the answer?

"What's the last thing you remember that night?" Malfoy asked me, his eyes fierce, drawing mine to his, like if reading everything just through my gaze. I'm feeling so exposed right now that I almost got the cloak from his arm to cover myself and run away from him, isolating myself in my bedroom during the whole weekend.

Dramatic, I know. It wouldn't be me if I didn't do a little drama. Anyway, it still doesn't sound a bad idea, I like to have the bedroom just for me. Don't get me wrong, I love the girls, but I miss having my own personal space where I don't have to share it with anyone else.

"Why are you asking me this?" I replied with another question, I love to do it.

It usually brings the effect I want.

Malfoy looked me suspiciously.

"Why are you avoiding to answer me?" he retorted, using the same strategy as me.

He's way too clever for this game to work on my favour.

Bloody Malfoy.

I rolled my eyes at his behaviour. He knows exactly how to get under my skin, he knows it and he uses against me.

Bloody Malfoy.

I will not give up though, he will.

Ella always says that when you play the game of thrones you win or you die. Now that I remembered it, 'thrones' makes much more sense than 'bones', indeed. I'm feeling so stupid right now for trading names when the context is very clear.

Perhaps I'm not that clever. Perhaps it's great for me to not flatter my own ego. Malfoy's one is already occupying all the space around us.

"Why are you answering my questions with another question?" I asked again, trying to not laugh at his face.

He thought he had won this one.

Poor boy, I'm gonna win and sit on that bloody throne of 'Rose will not give what Malfoy wants'. Victory seems close right now, and I feel stronger to not hesitate at whatever he replies to me.

"You're bloody annoying" Malfoy finally said after a long silence between us.

I tried not to let the smirk cover my whole face, but I'm neither discreet nor modest with my own victories. I like to flatter then mainly when it's against Malfoy.

"And mental" he added, rolling his eyes again and getting back his attention to the map.

Rose one, Malfoy zero.

Although apparently I brilliantly avoided Malfoy's questions, I couldn't stop thinking what he might have said about his last words before I fall asleep on the Common Room's couch.

Which takes me back to my first question.

"You didn't answer me" I muttered.

"Touché" he replied nonchalantly.

Merlin's balls, I'm gonna kick his ass.

"Fine, obviously you took me there one way or another, so at least I know the answer that I wanted" I said in an arrogant tone.

It even makes sense.

I noticed how he shifted uncomfortably, someone won again.

Rose two, Malfoy zero.

I was going to mock him and claim my victory when we noticed an awkward presence in the map.

At least an awkward presence to be with Heather Nott.

"Stanislav?" Malfoy asked, but he didn't sound surprised.

"Why it doesn't seem as awkward to you as it does to me?" I asked him curiously, why he had understood before me when I am the cleverest one here?

"Well, I take our mission seriously since the beginning" he simply replied.

"Are you trying to insult me?" I was rather confused, indeed.

He's not a very clear person, sometimes I feel like he could be telling me a recipe of a lemon pie while he actually meant something behind it.

He's very confusing also.

A mental person with a disturbing personality.

He's really peculiar. Not the type of person I would snog, but what can I do? The boy got me one way or another.

"Take it as you want" he said nonchalantly, Merlin, he pisses me off so bloody much, but I would not let him see me "But what matters is that I've been watching Heather cautiously since we decided to investigate her firstly..."

"And?" I asked him, my curiosity taking over me.

My personality is a bit disturbing as well, for such a rational person some things from my emotional side get over me very easily. Like curiosity and lust. I'm a sinner.

And the best part is that I don't bloody care, at all.

"I discovered a few things..." he didn't sound very comfortable, yet he had a hilarious face of confusion mixed with something I don't know how to label.

"Did you discover important things?" I asked him, feeling a bit impatiently.

Heather and Stan were going out of the castle, just like the other students from the third to seventh year that could visit Hogsmeade during the weekends we were allowed to.

Poor Lucy was outraged that she couldn't be with the whole family during our trips to Hogsmeade since that's the last year for James, Fred and Roxy, and we wanted the whole family to be together at the Three Broomsticks and the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, after all we're all Weasleys.

But well, life is not fair.

"Of course, Weasel" he replied a bit insulted "It's me we're talking about, not you"

"Hey!" I protested exasperated.

"What?" he asked me "Did you discover something important?"

"I..." but of course he interrupted me before I could say something.

Malfoy is such a prat.

"We both know that you didn't, so now listen to me" he demanded arrogantly, Merlin, I can't stand his ego nor obey to what people tell me to do "She always chew gums and when they lose colour and flavour she puts them anywhere she can..."

"That's gross" I said with a disgusted expression.

"And rude" Malfoy agreed with me. Malfoy agreed with me. Have I said that Malfoy agreed with me?

He agreed with me.

Merlin, am I raving?

I thought he would tell me to sod off, that I am such a prude if I never did it before. And indeed I never did, Nana Molly never let me do it and mum just had to look at me with that glare only Hermione Granger has to stop Hugo and I from doing mischief like these.

"Anyway, also she always goes to that bathroom where Moaning Myrtle stays and the gossip about the whole castle, and also she speaks loudly, I didn't even had to enter the girl's lavatory to hear what they were talking about" Malfoy was saying when I interrupted him.

I turned the tables, prat!

"Tell me what they were talking about" I demanded, someone turned the tables again, prat!

He rolled his grey eyes at my manners, noticing how I smirked mischievously every time I did something he was doing to me, like interrupting and telling me to do things.

"Basically about boys, mainly abour Stanislav; but when Moaning Myrtle tried to talk about the first task, Heather changed the subject quickly" Malfoy said, his tone of voice serious and concentrated to remember any necessary detail.

"Well" I said "That's odd"

"Yeah, it gets worse" Malfoy warned me.

Merlin, Heather Nott has always made me feel uneasy, she just makes it worst acting like this.

"Then, I noticed how just often she comes back after dinner with Lisa" his eyes were narrow, like if concentrating to remember every single detail he took note in his big blonde head.

He looks cute, I have to say. Like a child making a great effort to be useful somehow in grownups problems. It sounds funny because Malfoy a few weeks back wouldn't fit with the word 'hilarious' in the same phrase.

"When she's not with Lisa she's somewhere else, but I didn't manage to find out where she goes because Heather cleverly never uses the same way"

"Did you really call her clever?" I asked him.

"What's the matter?" he sounded confused.

"Nothing" I said simply, I had never heard him calling someone clever except me or him.

Could we stay like this?

Malfoy tried to read me, not understanding why I asked that to him. But well, I told that I'm improving the art of emotionless face.

"That's all?" I asked him, not sounding really impressed.

"She has a strange book that is always with her, but she never opens it..."

"Hm..." I muttered for him to keep talking.

"I thought we should get it, it sound really suspect to me" he said, waiting for my reply to his idea.

Alright, he's not that useless.

Rose two, Malfoy one.

I'm still gonna win it, though.

"Yeah, we should" I agreed "And next time she doesn't come back to the dungeons with Lisa after dinner we should take the Map and the cloak with us and follow her"

"Yeah, right" Malfoy agreed.

It sounds so odd to think about Malfoy, Rose Weasley and agree in the same phrase.

Many things sound awkward recently.

And odd, and peculiar, and strange, and awful.

As I've said before, it's hard to define it. It simply is anything related to weirdness.

"Come on, we need to follow her and Stan, apparently" I told him, taking the cloak from his arm – I had to restrain myself to not hold his biceps, my lovely pillow, before I lose control and snog him properly – and threw it over us, the Map firm in my hands.

"Weasel, we need to take care so our feet don't appear" Malfoy warned me.

"The problem here is you, you're so tall" I tried to complain but Merlin, I love a tall guy.

Very attractive, a lovely contrast with me.

"I wouldn't say it's a problem, but at least I don't look like a goblin"

Malfoy mocked me, as usual.

"Hey!" I protested outraged, how dare he?

As we got out from behind the statue we witnessed as a very elated Heather and a very uncomfortable Stan passed in front of us without knowing they were being watched closely for Malfoy and I.

"Do you think Stan may be involved with what happened at the first task and at the library with Heather and Lisa?" Malfoy whispered to me as we walked behind the odd looking couple.

"Perhaps, but he doesn't seem very involved with her" I murmured as I analysed them.

"Why do you say that?" Malfoy asked sounding confused.

"Are you joking me?" he couldn't be serious "Is in the guy's face!"

"Oh, yeah, he doesn't seem very happy" Malfoy agreed after seeing Stan looking back to the castle as he pretended to listen to whatever Heather was happily babbling about.

"He's looking for someone, perhaps someone he rather be with today to spend the whole day in Hogsmeade" I said "The question is, why he is doing it then if he doesn't seem to want it"

Malfoy was listening attentive to me, not mocking me or babbling about anything. He takes this thing of solving a mystery very seriously.

Uncle Harry always said that Malfoy has the talent to be an Auror, dad rather to stay quiet because thinking about a Malfoy chasing dark magic around the world doesn't seem right to him. Nana praised how Malfoy is clever enough to join the Department, and even mum agreed with her.

They still know I'm the cleverest with of my age though.

I know it doesn't sound modest but, well. Even Malfoy admits it.

"His body language sound distant from here, he doesn't want to be here, he's cold and uncomfortable and is not even making effort to keep the pace with her, he's walking distantly and always looking back to the castle" I finished my analysis feeling proud of myself for it.

"Woah" Malfoy seemed surprised "Who would say that you are an accurate observer"

"Dear" I said sarcastically, mum usually does it with dad when he's pissing her off "Stop underestimating me"

Malfoy rolled his eyes, but the smirk was clear on his face.

As we finally entered the historical village, we noticed how the streets were crowded with students, all of them very glad to be outside the castle and spend the weekend here, with so many options to do.

I envy them so bloody much, I wanted to be enjoying my day.

But no, I'm following Heather Nott around the lovely streets with Malfoy by my side and a puzzle in front of us that don't seem to fit.

Yet. It will soon.

"LUCY!" a familiar voice sounded by my side, as I noticed a furious Molly beside me although she couldn't know her cousin was by her side.

"Look at them" Malfoy pointed out to a group of red head people outside Honeydukes, giggling mischievously "She's bloody mischief for her age"

"I know, right" I couldn't believe, but I shouldn't be surprised.

Molly walked furiously to where Lucy, Hugo and Louis were, full of candies in the bags on their arms and some in their mouth.

My brother has two chocolate frogs inside his mouth while he is giggling happily.

Merlin, he's gross! He has no manners!

"What are you doing here?" Molly asked her little sister, who doesn't seem affected, just enjoying herself.

"Buying candies" Lucy replied nonchalantly.

"You are a second year student!" Molly said, her eyes wide.

"Very well noticed" Lucy said, rolling her green eyes to her sister.

"Don't be sarcastic with me, Lucy!" Molly has a short temper.

It's a Weasley thing. We can't deny it, it's in our blood.

And is a very strong trait of our personality.

"How did you get here?" Molly asked demanding an answer "It's prohibited, just after second year students are allowed to come to Hogsmeade"

"Molls, relax!" Hugo told her.

Merlin, his mouth is filthy with that amount of chocolate he managed to put in his mouth.

"Don't play with me, Hugo Granger-Weasley!" Molly is so angry that it looks hilarious.

"Full name" Malfoy whispered to me "She really means it"

I had to giggle, the whole situation is very funny.

"We have to go, Heather and Stan are walking to the Three Broomsticks I think" I pointed to where the odd couple was, we were a little late to catch their pace.

"Please" Malfoy begged me in a playful way "It's better than those dramatic muggle soap opera we watched during Muggle Studies class"

"Indeed" I agreed, chuckling "Lucy never disappoint us"

"We helped her with one of our many knowledge about the castle" Louis flattered his ego, messing his hair charmingly.

His veela abilities have no effect over his cousin though, but I noticed how some third year girls beamed at his direction.

He didn't even notice though. Gorgeous people don't notice that everyone thinks they are gorgeous and look hypnotised for them at least a few seconds to appreciate.

Merlin, I am not one of those people, the admirers or the one admired.

I'm just Rose.

"Stop bringing my baby sister to your mischief, Louis Weasley!" Molly scolded him, her feet clapping on the floor impatiently, her arms crossed, her left brow arched, her face with a scowl.

"She's looking like Nana Molly when she's scolding you and your cousins" Malfoy muttered surprised.

"I know, right" I said "She's a bit scary when she's like this"

"We lost them, come on" Malfoy told me, and we left my cousins behind.

I could still listen to Lucy ironical voice and Molly angry one.

They are always like this, Molly being responsible – a bit too much for her age, not even I am like this -, and Lucy not caring for anything, just doing as she wants and whatever pops into her mind.

Following the Map we noticed how I was right, Stan and Heather were seated at the table in the middle of the room, of course. Heather likes to call attention, and Stan not only is an older and handsome guy as he's the son of famous Viktor Krum. Apparently Dom told that they are very look alike.

"Where are we going to stay?" I asked Malfoy, looking around the crowded and noisy pub.

"We have to listen to what they are talking about" Malfoy muttered.

"That's why I brought these" I took our tools for espionage from inside my small purse, mum taught how to bewitch them with a spell so they could carry anything I want to "I got some Extendable Ears with my uncle George from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes"

"Brilliant, except for the part that we can't be seen and that we need to be beside them" Malfoy said, he must think he's so intelligent.

"Since I am the genius here" I said arrogantly just to mock him "We can be above them" I pointed to the floor above us where Madam Rosmerta's daughter lives, the stairs finishing above the table where Heather and Stan are seated "And I found a spell to make the Extendable Ears invisible"

Malfoy gulped, his eyes wide.

"I'm impressed" he admitted, but then covered his mouth like if he had thought aloud.

I smirked victoriously.

Rose three, Malfoy one.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, my readers!

Thank you so much! Mischief Managed reached 31 reviews! That's a record I never thought I could get! I'm really happy and I can't believe this story has almost 100.000 words written as well!

I want to thank all of you for your amazing support and for everyone that read my fanfic! It really means a lot to me!

To those that review to Mischief Managed, thank you even more for keeping me in great spirit to write and not give up on my story! Your support inspires me so much! I hope to not disappoint you, folks!

For those who reviewed:

To _jlpelton1_ – Thank you for your review! It means a lot to me and I'm glad you are enjoying how the story is going! Hope you like Chapter 18 and I hope to read more of you here!

To _kavyaanoop.10_ – Thank you so much! Your review keeps me writing, I'm glad you think it's a good story! Feel free to write to me whenever you want to!

To _missfizwizbiz_ – Thank you very much, my dear and faithful reader! I hope you like Chapter 18 and I'm counting on you to know what you think about it! I'm glad that you're not disappointed with Chapter 17 and the task, I know how much you were waiting for it! See you son, missfizwizbiz!

To _Guest 1_ – Thank you so much for your kind words! I'm really glad that you are enjoying Mischief Managed, it means a lot to me to know it!

To _V (Guest 2)_ – Hello, V! I'm glad that you reviewed and left your signature! Please feel comfortable to write to me, I enjoy knowing what my readers think about my story! Thank you for your review and kind words! It means a lot to me to know that you love my writing, I feel honoured and so happy! It's so good when we take time to type the ideas inside our head and get such a positive feedback, thank you for this! I'm elated to know that you enjoy the way I deal with Scorose, they may be more romance in the future but I can assure you: life with these will never be peaceful! I hope you didn't have to wait too much but I'm relieved you think this way! I try to write my best and I hope that I manage to write in this high level! Also, I'm glad that Mischief Managed helps you to distract from stress and that you appreciate my story! Thank you, again! I hope to read more of you soon, V! Hope you like Chapter 18!

To all my reviewers, thank you so much! To the new ones, welcome! To the old ones, I'm so glad you guys are still with me on this journey! To all of you, I hope that you like Chapter 18 and keep the feedback so I can know how the story is going!

Without further ado,

(because I already talk too much)

 _Binki_


	19. Gamophobia

_**Disclaimer:**_ As usual, I own nothing and blah, blah, blah!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Nineteen - Gamophobia**

We were for about half an hour now, seated at the top of the stairs that took to the floor where Madam Rosmerta's daughter lives.

The Invisibility Cloak above us, making it impossible for anyone to see us in such a peculiar situation, invisible Extendable Ears from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes hanging above the table where Heather Nott and Stanislav Krum were seated together.

"Dude" I said in a bored tone "What a total waste of time"

"Even we can make a better conversation" Malfoy muttered, sounding pissed off with the lack of useful information.

"I mean, even when we are arguing we manage to not have a boring conversation" I agreed, indeed I was feeling like I could sleep any time soon.

"Boring is not a possible adjective to define us" Malfoy whispered, but he was sounding more relaxed now.

How awkward is that sometimes we comfort each other even when we don't intend to do it?

I giggled lightly, not believing in our current situation and how far we've come. I never imagined we could go this far, from enemies to something almost like friends with benefits and now partners to undercover a possible crime.

What a definition for a Weasley and a Malfoy.

Our parents and grandparents would never believe it, or accept it.

Good thing that we are just this, then. I already have too much drama in my life. And most of it is not even my own problems, just other people's problems. Bad thing that I have such a big troublemaker family and crazy friends around me, so all of them come to me when they are in a bad situation. I should ask for some reward after helping them, I mean, not money, but perhaps a great food, books and even a butterbeer.

But no, all I get are some hugs and 'thank you' and smiles. I have to admit that I love to get that, warm my cold heart.

My heart is not cold, actually. Just hard to reach, but not impossible. I guess. I'm not so sure.

"Merlin" I whispered "She's just babbling about how awesome he is and how she knows every single detail about him and his life" I rolled my eyes "That's pathetic"

"He's acting so strange as well, he is pretending to be listening and agrees even though I doubt some of this bullshit is real" Malfoy muttered.

"I know, right?" I agreed, it's getting strangely common for us to agree with each other "He doesn't even care, and she should get a life of her own"

"I wouldn't care as well" Malfoy said in a bored tone "and Heather will never get her own life, she loves to gossip with Moaning Myrtle"

Merlin, we are so bored. I thought that investigating Heather would be at least funny, a bit of adrenaline in my usual quiet life.

But being bored is even worse, I could sleep right here and not even notice, just wake up next morning.

"What do you mean?" I asked curiously.

"I don't care about what people that don't mean anything to me have to say about me" Malfoy said in a harsh tone, but his eyes were soft.

I don't think he said it to me specifically. I felt my heart a little heavy, I could notice pain in his voice. Probably he already had to deal with so many backlashes due to his family's past that he learned how to not care about them at all.

It makes sense now why he avoids showing his emotions. It seems like a defensive dispositive, very useful when half of the Wizarding World hates you for your relatives, not for who you are, even before allowing themselves to meet you properly.

It sounds like what I did with him at the beginning. Albus was the only one that didn't act like a prick towards Malfoy. That's why he's such a special lad, not only he also had to suffer with being judged before people really met him – although in a more positive way -, as he also has a big and caring heart, without any prejudice and arrogance.

Merlin, he's much better than me.

I know it.

"It makes sense" I gulped, Malfoy is bad but not so bad as I always thought.

The fact that he is a good snogger helps as well. Lucky for him, actually for me.

"You never had to face hate from people you don't even know" Malfoy said bitterly.

"But I always had to face judgement from people I don't even know" I said, indeed that's something we kind of have in common "Some still can be really mean"

"I know" Malfoy said simply, his face emotionless, his jaw tense, his eyes far away from here.

I suddenly felt so sad for him, it's not his fault if he is a Malfoy, and they still are his family, he shouldn't have to feel the need of being ashamed because of his relatives. That's so fucking bizarre I can't even imagine how it must be.

I never had to feel ashamed of being a Weasley. But dad always said to me how when he was a child he wasn't so proud of his last name like he is nowadays. Weasleys were known as blood traitors and as a poor family. How much has changed since then.

Thank you, Merlin.

Actually thank you, mum, dad, uncle Harry, the whole Order of the Phoenix, the students from Dumbledore's Army, Dumbledore himself, and many others that fought against Voldemort and his dark plans.

We still stayed quiet for another half an hour, the silence between Heather and Stan unbearable, just a few small talks between them, mostly from Heather. She just doesn't give up, does she?

When they stayed like this we directed the Extendable Ears to other tables, just to wake up and have a little fun listening to other conversations in such a boring Saturday.

Our conclusion is that in general people are all mental. I know eavesdropping is not exactly right, but I couldn't help myself.

And our espionage included Albus and Ella.

"No" Malfoy protested "We shouldn't"

"Why?" I asked impatiently "They are our best friends"

"Exactly" he looked to me like if I were crazy.

"What's the matter then?" I asked him.

"Don't you know the concept of privacy?" Malfoy questioned me with indignation.

"Hm" I wondered "No, I have a big family" I replied sincerely, and even Malfoy laughed this time "I don't know the word privacy nor its concept"

"Sure" Malfoy rolled his eyes "Ma'am"

I beamed with victory, am I still counting?

I don't even remember.

I levitated the Ears towards Ella and Albus' table, where they seemed to be talking happily for more than one hour now.

"Their happiness makes me a little sick" I muttered sarcastically.

"Of course it does" Malfoy replied, the irony always clear in his voice.

Another common trait, we master the art of sarcasm.

Blimey, we could stop looking a like when our whole lives we've been polar opposites of each other. It makes me really uncomfortable, sometimes it seems like I am talking with myself.

It's hard to admit it when Malfoy is the 'myself' I'm talking about.

"You should come visit us more often when we are at the Burrow" Albus said lightly after they stopped giggling happily for the hundredth time.

"I know" Ella scowled "Rose always complains that I am the only friend that is never around to spend the days with your family at the Burrow"

"Even a Malfoy is always there, and you already know how much of a big thing it is" Albus said, his tone so relaxed and his eyes so elated that my heart melt a little bit.

"He's so into her" Malfoy muttered a little surprised.

"It also makes me a little sick" I replied, but the beam on my face said otherwise.

I think Malfoy noticed how such a liar I am when he looked to me and just arched his eyebrow at my contradiction: my mouth says something but my beam reveals otherwise.

"Yeah" Ella giggled, a beam on her face as well, but not reaching her eyes as Albus'.

Oh no, I knew it wouldn't work.

"I'll try my best" Ella promised "Rose already invited me to spend Christmas at the Burrow and even my parents are invited"

"Oh" Albus seemed a little uncomfortable now "How... lovely" but he managed to pretend that he really thought it, because Ella didn't even notice his hesitation. He just wants to spend sometime with her, alone. Not with her parents keeping an eye on them.

Merlin, she's so out of this world.

That's why she's my best friend, I am so in this world that it makes me sick sometimes.

I need her to help me fly away sometimes, just as she needs me to help her keep her feet on the ground.

Sometimes I get really worried about her friendship with Lysander, he's worse than her.

"They never met Rose's parents, and this is absurd, she's my sister" Ella muttered, and my heart melted, I really love this special girl.

"Are you crying, Weasel?" Malfoy mocked me, earning a punch in his arm.

I was not crying, but feeling a little emotional hearing these words. Ella and I are affectionate to each other, but we're not all the bloody time, it doesn't mean we are less than those that show off their love for each other all the time, we are just more discreet and firm believers that we don't need to show off the world all the time to prove that what we have is real. We know it is and that's enough.

Actually I think that those that show off their emotions so much are exaggerating because they feel so insecure that what they have is not that real, because indeed and deep down they know it is not.

Ella told me to stop judging people just because they are different from me, but I just can't restrain myself and she knows me well enough to know that I will never change. I'm just a stubborn and almost unbearable person.

I am almost laughing with myself, I am hilarious.

"Yeah" Albus said in a sad tone "I know how you feel" he gulped and I felt Malfoy tense by my side "But your case is better than mine, my parents and Scorpius' parents hate each other, so they will never get reunited, ever"

"Oh, Al" Ella sat by his side, holding his hand.

Oh no, Albus is going to understand it in a different way from what Ella intends, I bet. She's just very caring for any person alive, she would comfort anyone.

"Don't be sad" Ella said in a comfort tone, when she speaks like this seems like an angel singing, she really knows how to comfort people, while I otherwise have no talent for this "Perhaps you and Scorpius could try to change their relationship, I bet that for their children's sake they would make this effort"

"Do you?" Albus asked, hope clear in his voice.

"Sure, you should talk with Scorpius about this" Ella said, patting his back to comfort him.

"Thank you for ruining my future conversation with Albus about such an important thing for us" Malfoy said sarcastically to me, his jaw tense.

"Don't you dare blame me" I said irritated "You just have to pretend to be surprised"

"I can't, I'm not a liar" he protested, rolling his eyes.

"Well" I looked to him "Put you 'emotionless face' facade"

Malfoy arched one of his eyebrows to me, surprised with my definition for his usual expression, or lack of, actually.

"I can't do it with Albus, he's my best mate" Malfoy said in an obvious tone.

I felt a bit pissed off, so he does it with me but not with Albus? Sod off.

"Deal with it" I said bitterly, not understanding my own reaction.

"You're such a..." he was starting to insult me but then I did what he always does to me that piss me off so much.

"You too, now shut up" I interrupted him, earning a glare not so pleased from him.

"I will, thank you, Ella" Albus beamed widely to her, analysing every single detail of her face.

Oh no!

She beamed back to him, but her eyes were not shining like his. Ella was not seeing any second intentions in their interaction, Albus otherwise...

And then what I didn't want to have to see happened.

Albus reached closer to Ella's face and kissed her lips lightly, his eyes closed with excitement, his hands one on her hair and the other still holding her hand, his lips waiting for her reaction to deepen the kiss.

And that's when what I expected happened.

Ella backed off. Her eyes wide with confusion. Her hands on Albus' shoulder to put him away from her.

"Wha-what is going on, Al?" Ella asked him a little scared, her eyes suddenly clear with realisation before Albus said anything.

"What is wrong, Ella?" Albus asked scared as well "I thought you wanted it as well..."

"Oh, no!" Malfoy exclaimed, his face reflecting Albus' pain.

I just shook my head, that's what I feared.

"We are friends, Albus" Ella composed herself, taking her hand from his "But that's all, I'm sorry I gave you the wrong impression" she was feeling really bad, I could say, there was a sad expression on her face.

Albus seemed to be shocked and sad, he was not even looking to her face anymore, just to his feet.

"It's... It's alright" he lied, looking around him and finally finding the door "I-I'm sorry" he apologised, of course he did, he's such a polite and great lad "I have to go"

Albus got to his feet really quickly, leaving a few money behind – of course he did it as well, he paid for their beers before leaving the Three Broomsticks -, and running towards the door, not looking back.

"Our investigation is over" Malfoy said to me, I agreed with my head.

"Albus needs you" I gulped, sadness getting over me as I witnessed my cousin's heart breaking.

Malfoy got out from below the cloak as he rushed downstairs and towards the door to go after Albus. Nobody even noticed as he came from nowhere.

Ella was still seated there, her eyes wide and watery, her arms holding herself. She was probably feeling so bad, Ella has a great sense of empathy for other people, that's what makes her have such a big and caring heart for anyone.

I didn't know what to do exactly.

Definitely what I was not expecting was Ella breaking Al's heart.

* * *

After what happened between Albus and Ella at the Three Broomsticks, I went downstairs to seat with her where my cousin was before and hold her tightly as she sobbed on my shoulder. I took Ella back to the castle, not a sign of Albus and Malfoy. We stayed the rest of the day in our dormitory, all ours since the other girls were probably having a funny Saturday in Hogsmeade, Dom nowhere to be seen. I just hope she's not doing anything stupid.

I could take a look at the Map, but she's a grown up girl, she can take care of herself and Ella needs me more right now.

She got a bit angry at me for not telling her Albus' real intentions, but it was so obvious that at the end she admitted that indeed she's very blind for not have seeing it before.

Ella was feeling so bad that she had hurt Albus feelings that she was lost about what she should do to help him deal with it. Indeed she's not looking for someone right now, but still likes Albus very much as a friend.

Merlin, when the person you like doesn't reciprocate your feelings must suck. Lily has been out of herself because of Lorcan's lack of interest in her, Lorcan has been a prick because Dom pretends he doesn't even exist, Harper has been miserable since James announced to the whole castle on Sunday's feast that he finally snogged Violet MacGrath – apparently their date to Hogsmeade went out so great that she allowed a boy that used to ignore to kiss her perfect lips (I just don't like her) -, and now Albus is really upset with his broken heart that he stopped Dom and I's conversation when we were going to the library on Tuesday night.

"When are you going to tell Lily?" he simply asked, his eyes with purple bags under them.

"Excuse me?" Dom asked him.

The whole family showed support to him, even James and Fred had the decency to not mock Albus after they learned about what happened between him and Ella.

But Albus was going through stages, from depressed to bitter to I-hope-he-soon-gets-over-it-and-gets-back-to-normality.

Malfoy said that I was being insensitive, but I just don't have time for drama. I was comforting Albus as much as I could, but feeling at the bottom of his world doesn't mean he could act like a prick to people.

He told a second year girl to sod off when she asked for his help to find the Library yesterday and today I saw him telling a group of first years to sod off when they asked if he really was Harry Potter's son. I know it sucks to be feeling bad and people even ask things like this, but the usual Albus, the one that I know, would never be so mean to people.

"I'm tired of seeing her miserable with a guy that doesn't value her because he's in love with her cousin" Albus said, his tone harsh and his face impatient.

"He should tell her, not me" Dom said defensively.

Merlin, I already told her that she should do it, but it's none of mine or Albus' business.

"Lily thinks he's being so cold and, in my opinion, a prick to her because she's doing something wrong" Albus complained, irritation getting clear in his voice.

Dom got suddenly angry.

"I can't do anything, now please leave me alone Albus"

"No" Albus said, blocking her way "Tell her, Rosie, or are you supporting this madness?"

"What?" I asked him incredulous "You can't be serious"

"I am very serious here" Albus replied, his voice cold from resentment.

Merlin's beard, Ella not only broke his heart, she froze it.

"If you don't tell her, I will" Albus said to Dom, his eyes hard glaring at her.

"You can't!" Dom protested incredulous.

"Yes, I do" he said unaffected "She's my baby sister and you should act more maturely since you are older than her"

"It's none of your business, Albus!" Dom got tense, her fists by her side, her ears getting red.

Just a Weasley common reaction to when we are being pissed off.

"Yes, it is" he said.

I know Albus is right, but he's being such a prick acting like this. He could deal with it in a much better way, acting like this will make things even more complicated than they already are.

"No, it is not!" Dom was almost yelling right now.

"I'm even giving you the chance to tell her yourself before I have to do it" Albus muttered, his voice impatient, his eyes far away from the Albus we know.

I wanted to slap Ella so badly, she and Albus indeed would be a lovely couple. But she's not obligated to like him, that's not how things work. And if Albus is demanding Dom to be mature, he needs to act like this himself. Things rarely work exactly the way we like, that's a fact.

"YOU CAN'T BE SERIOUS" Dom yelled right now, Merlin, Albus pushed her too far "JUST BECAUSE THE GIRL YOU LIKE DOESN'T LIKE YOU BACK DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO BE SUCH A BITTER AND UNBEARABALE PRAT!"

Oh no! Why us Weasleys have such a short temper?

Why things that seem impossible to get worse always end up getting worse?

Must be karma or something.

"Dom!" I scolded her desperately.

Albus immediately seemed to get hit by a stone on his stomach, he was looking sick and hurt, hurt was clear in his green eyes. Tears started to stream down his face, mixed expressions covering it, anger, angst, sadness, guilty, hurt.

Dom suddenly realised what she had done, but before she could say anything, Albus got past her and quickly was nowhere to be seen.

"What did I do?" Dom asked herself, but I was still by her side.

"You're such an idiot, Dom" I admitted "Albus didn't use the right words but he's right, you need to tell Lily that you were cheating on her with Lorcan"

"And then you said such a mean thing about something that really did hurt him so badly" I scolded her, feeling sad for her and for Albus.

"Things should never have gone this far" Dom said, her eyes watery "I never meant to hurt him even more, I just lost my mind"

"I know" I patted on her back "But you still did"

"You've been right this whole time, Rosie" Dom said "I'm gonna tell Lily tomorrow"

"And?" I asked her, hoping she knows what I mean.

"And apologise to Albus for being such a bitch" she said guilty.

"Please don't use this term" I asked her "It's sexist, I don't like it"

"Yes, you're right, again" Dom muttered sadly.

"Why did you stop talking to me?" I asked her worried "Have you been seeing Lorcan again?"

"What?" she asked me incredulous "Of course not!" Dom said "I just don't want you to live my drama"

"You don't have to worry about it" I assured her "I want to help you and also I already got used with all the drama from other people"

"You're such a nice person, Rosie" Dom whispered, her voice small from guilty "It's sad that you're incapable of realising how much you really are"

"I am not, stop raving!" I scolded her playfully, but felt I little touched by her words.

"Anyway" Dom rolled her eyes to me, a tiny beam on her lips, never reaching her eyes "I've been talking with Stan, we're really close"

"Oh, you've always been, right?" I remembered that although Dom doesn't send letters to him as usually as she wanted to, she always keeps in touch with him and has seen him whenever she can.

"Yeah, he's such a nice guy" she admitted "I told him about all my drama"

"Clever of you, he's a boy, an older person, and also is from outside" I commented, embracing her as we kept walking to the Library.

"He's helping me a lot" Dom said, embracing me back "Just like you always do, thank you for always being by my side, Rosie"

"No need to thank me, I'm your cousin" I said, kissing her big head.

"You're more like a sister to me" Dom replied, kissing me back on my cheek.

"You too, big head, you too" I said.

Dom and I studied together the whole night, I wanted to go after Albus but he's been too rebel to my taste. I've talked to him and comforted him as much as I can, but apparently not even Malfoy is being able to comfort him anymore.

He'll get over it soon. I hope.

If he doesn't, Malfoy and I agreed to make him get over it anyway, he's pissing us off already.

Merlin, my family is so complicated. I really need a good snog to relax.

That's why I was so eager to meet Malfoy to our patrols.

But I was not into patrolling tonight.

* * *

I was impatiently waiting for Malfoy at a desert corridor, the moonlight illuminating the whole place as I was seated at the window sill. My feet didn't reach the floor due to my lack of height, so I was having a little fun moving my feet and not feeling the floor below them.

I said that I am hilarious, finding fun where usually it can't be seen.

"What's funny?" a voice asked me, and I witnessed as Malfoy came out from a shade of darkness.

He was wearing the school's uniform and still managed to look handsome. His hair messy, his eyes tired, and still he looks handsome. My heart started to beat fast in my chest, I averted my eyes from him to recover my breath before I started choking in front of him. It would be embarrassing.

"Life in general" I said simply, a smirk escaping my lips "Me especifically"

This time he was the one who chuckled.

"I wouldn't use the word funny to refer to you" he replied mocking me, as usual.

I was too tired to mock him back, so I just giggled, resting my head on the stone beside me.

"Come here" I commanded him, a yawn escaping my lips.

My self control is clearly low tonight.

"Are you tired of other's drama as well?" he asked me, not seeming bothered that I ordered him to do something.

"As much as you, I guess" I said.

As he approached me, I opened my legs so he could fit perfectly between them.

Malfoy closed the distance between us, placing his body between my legs, as I wanted.

I dropped my head from the stone wall to his meet his own head so our foreheads were touching. He placed his hands on my thigh covered with my jeans, unfortunately – I wanted to feel his warm touch. Our breath got synchronized as we stayed in silence for a long time.

"It's been a long time that I don't have such a peaceful moment" Malfoy admitted, his voice husky with tiredness.

I felt a shiver getting down my spine as he spoke, I adore when his voice is husky like this. I have to say that I've been wondering if every time he wakes up his voice sounds like this.

"Me too" I said, feeling relaxed after such a long time "Albus is making me mad"

Malfoy chuckled tiredly, agreeing with me.

Merlin, I was feeling so peaceful that nothing could disturb me right now. His breath with mine was like a meditation to me. Ella would be proud if she wasn't busy feeling guilty for making Albus miserable.

I sighed happily as spontaneously my lips met his, touching each other softly as we deepened our snog, my tongue welcoming his with such comfort that I almost felt scared. It was not time to overthink nor overanalyse anything. I need him, just as I think he needs me.

That's why that night we didn't patrol as we should, we stayed like this for a long time.

Before I noticed, I was seated between his legs as we were seated on the floor, his back pressed against the cold stone wall. But it didn't seem to bother him.

My back otherwise was pressed against his warm and hard chest, the feeling making me even more relaxed.

Merlin, it even seems like a dream. I would sleep peacefully if every night were like this.

My eyes were closed as my head was laid back on Malfoy's shoulder, his hand caressing my arm as his other arm was wrapped around my body, holding me close to him.

We were in such an intimate position that it's hard to believe it was really happening. But it came out so naturally and was feeling so good that I didn't dare to stop it.

Why should I, after all?

I could feel Malfoy giving small kisses to my exposed neck, sometimes making me giggle with tickling. He's being so sweet that it's hard to believe that is Malfoy who's kissing me.

I turned my head so I could kiss his face as well, everywhere I could. Soon we were in a small kisses war, making us laugh with such spontaneity that giggling never felt so good, so right, and so natural.

Malfoy finally ended our affectionate war by holding me tightly with his two arms. I sighed satisfied as I laid my head on his shoulder again, my eyes closed as I felt relaxed after such a long and troubled time.

"We have to go" my rational side is still here though.

"No!" Malfoy protested, his voice sounding cute as he held me even tighter, making me giggle.

"Do you want someone to find us?" I asked him, looking at his handsome face, the moonlight making him look even prettier. If that's even possible.

"Fuck them off" Malfoy said "I'm fine"

I chuckled, he pisses me off so much, but I really like his rebel manners.

"I'm fine as well" I admitted, kissing him softly and long on his cheek.

He closed his eyes with satisfaction as my lips pressed his skin.

"So don't restrain yourself as you always do" he said to me, looking deep to my blue eyes.

Are times like these that seem like his grey eyes are dragging me to him.

"I..." I was going to start to contradict him when he stopped me from saying anything with a kiss "Hmm" I muttered happily.

"The best way to stop you from arguing with me" Malfoy said between our snog.

"Hmm" I approved it "We should argue more, then"

He smirked as his lips touched mine again. Our snog getting deeper as my tongue met his, tasting the flavour of his mouth, our lips massaging each other softly, in a synchronised and unstoppable movement.

His hand was firm in my waist, the other holding my face close to his. While my hand was holding his neck firmly, the other was placed on his thigh.

As I pressed tighter and up his thigh, I could feel a hard and growing pressure on my back.

Before I could restrain myself, I was seated on his lap, my legs at Malfoy's sides as I pressed my body against the bulge in his pants. He moaned as I did it, making me press harder against him. A shiver went down my spine as his hands moved from my waist to my bum, holding me tight and pressing me again against his growing and hard bulge.

Merlin, I just can't! That's too much. That's far than we had ever gone. I missed feeling a fire inside of me, the need for more, and the eager of giving up on everything just to enjoy a moment.

Our snog got rough, tongues battling wildly against each other, teeth pressing hard against lips, movements getting faster, and our breath and heart beat almost losing the pace.

I enjoy feeling so many things at once, his touch on my skin, his will for my lips, his bulge pressing against my body. Merlin, I feel dirty and free.

I feel alive.

I feel.

Whatever it is, Malfoy makes me feel. And it's scary and awesome at the same time.

We stopped as we lost our breath, our foreheads touching as we hold each other.

I opened my eyes and realised Malfoy was staring at me, a beam on his lips as he placed my hair behind my ear.

I beamed to him, it's just impossible to not reciprocate his affection.

After we decided spontaneously, just as this moment, to finally go back to our dormitory, I got asleep so fast that before I could notice I was reviving what just happened all over again.

That's when I noticed how special that moment had been to me, and how I would always keep it in my good memories.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hey, folks! I'm so sorry for disappearing for such a long time, but I've been so busy recently that I had to make magic to find a time to write this chapter! I hope you like it and thank you for sticking with me and supporting my hard work!

Please, let me know what you think about Chapter 19! Also, I was wondering, _**which is your favourite chapter so far and why?**_ I'll be waiting for your reviews!

To my last reviewers of Chapter 18:

 _missfizwizbiz_ – Thank you my faithful reader for you support and kind words! I love to know your impressions about the chapter, it makes me really happy and it's such a great feedback!

 _Guest_ – Thank you so much for your review, I'm so glad that you like my Scorpius and Rose! I don't think they'll ever stop arguing, but they can learn how to cooperate with each other definitely! I love to hear that my plot or characters are refreshing, it makes me keep my writing! I hope you like this new chapter and I hope to read more of you as well!

 _ALIASTESIN_ – Hello there! Thank you so much for all your reviews, I loved to know a bit of your opinion about some chapters, it's really awesome! I'm happy to have a new reader! You are one of those that keep up my story! Thank you again for your reviews! I hope you like Chapter 19 and to see more reviews of you soon, please let me know what you think about it!

Without further ado, lads,

 _Binki_


	20. Little Joy

_**Disclaimer:**_ Well, this is getting cliché, I own nothing, folks!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twenty – Little Joy**

The last weeks have been tough for me, Albus is still acting weirdly, almost bipolar, and doesn't even look at Ella anymore, apparently he's feeling ashamed for doing something she actually didn't want him to. And also there is the fact that his expectation was frustrated, which obviously we are still learning how to deal with. Growing up is bloody hard.

Dom has also acting awfully, she feels bad for what she said to Albus but just can't apologise because she felt offended by the way he talked to her, indeed he said the right thing in the wrong way.

Why does it seem like everybody is doing things in the wrong way?

The only peaceful moments I have are the ones that I am with Malfoy, ironically. My family is driving me mad and when I am with him not only we have this in common, since Albus is his best friend and Matteo has been miserable since Lily and Lorcan assumed their relationship status, as we also snog for a long a pleasurable time. Yes, they are dating. They are bloody girlfriend and boyfriend now. Lily is obviously elated, but Lorcan doesn't seem to be in the same pace.

To me he's just trying to forget Dom while sticking with Lily, but I think that she deserves more than being a mere console to him. It doesn't seem fair to her, but apparently he's consciousness let him do stupid and insensible things like this. If only Dom finally told Lily about everything and they just broke up, then my cousins could move on with their lives. Without Lorcan. He's not a bad guy at all, he's aunt Luna's son, after all. But he's just immature and learning how to deal with mixed emotions. In the middle of this he keeps playing with other's feelings while he just cares for his own. I mean, all of us are going through this phase, but not everybody leaves so much pain behind like him.

As I've said, everything seems to deal in the wrong way with their problems.

Less Lucy, apparently.

She's twelve but knows everything about adulthood and being a mature person.

"You are being dramatic" she told me and Dom when we were having lunch on a Friday, it was almost the end of October already.

Which means that Roxy's second task is almost here.

"Oh, really?" Dom asked her sarcastically.

"Yeah, grow up, both of you" Lucy said in know-it-all tone.

Dom looked sceptically to me.

I know. Being scolded by a twelve year old when we are almost sixteen years of age.

What a joke.

But she's Lucy Weasley, we can expect anything from her, even being scolded when she's the youngest cousin.

"Thanks, ma'am" I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes at her.

It's quite funny actually, there's never a bad time around with Lucy, she's hilarious even when she doesn't intend to do, which are most of the time she opens her mouth.

"Your counselling is really appreciated" Dom replied, her tone obviously making fun of Lucy.

But not only she's hilarious as she also is very clever and attentive. She knows when we are making fun of her and, just like me, she doesn't enjoy it.

We indeed have a lot in common, but her personality is still very unique.

My uncles and dad always wondered how such a personality like Lucy could be uncle Percy's daughter. She overcomes him in everything, and she's twelve. That's hilarious. You see, everything about her is like this.

"Stop with your sarcasm and failed attempt to mock me" she scolded us again, Lucy was reading the Daily Prophet and her half moon glasses on the tip of her nose and her eyes facing us from above the paper makes everything even more funny to watch.

"Sorry, ma'am" Dom said, trying hard not to laugh.

Lucy rolled her eyes at us as Dom and I shared an understanding glance. We're probably having the same thoughts.

"What I'm just saying is that you guys are older but dumber, which makes the first quality rather useless" Lucy muttered, her attention back to the headlines of the Daily Prophet.

"Please, enlighten us" Dom pretended to be begging, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"It's simple and demands low brain work" she told us like if what she's saying is obvious "Apologise to Al just like he should do to Ella, and then the drama stops"

Dom stopped for a moment absorbed in her own deep thoughts, like if what Lucy said makes so much sense. Which is ridiculous, because I've been telling this to her for two weeks now, but of course she doesn't listen to me when she should do it.

"I've told her before" I replied Lucy, my tone tired because people must think I'm not useful considering that I'm with Dom all the time and she still doesn't seem to find the right answers for her wrong attitudes.

"Well, it was not effective enough, right?" Lucy asked rhetorically.

Merlin, she's sharper than usual today.

"What's wrong with you, baby cousin?" Dom demanded, she knows just like me that something is bothering Lucy, but calling her the nickname that she hates will not help us at all here. Lucy hates to be called the family's baby when, as she always said, James and Fred mentally are younger than her.

And actually I have to agree with Lucy about that.

"Is it so obvious?" she replied, taking off her glasses and putting the paper down on the table in front of her.

"Obviously" I muttered, arching my right eyebrow at her expectantly.

"Fine" Lucy said reluctantly "Frank has a crush on Molly"

"Ha" Dom was giggling now "That's funny"

Merlin, Dom has no manners, of course it is bothering Lucy, he's her best mate.

I elbowed Dom on her ribs, making her stop as she whined in pain.

"That's disturbing" I said exactly what I think that Lucy wants to hear, because that's what she needs now and Dom is so insensible for not seeing it.

"I KNOW RIGHT" Lucy was yelling now "I TOLD THIS TO HIM AND NOW HE'S MAD AT ME"

"I would be mad at you as well if you told me something so loud like this" Dom covered her ears painfully "You resemble James, Merlin"

"Dom" I scolded her "Not appropriate"

She rolled her eyes at me, she hates when I'm right and she's wrong, and ultimately it has become usual.

"Look who's being dramatic now" Dom mocked Lucy, who seemed rather unimpressed.

"But I'm fine" Lucy said firmly to us.

"What?" Dom asked "The guy you like has a crush on your sister, how can you be fine?"

Lucy is surprisingly mature for her age, the answer for Dom's question is that.

"Firstly, I don't like Frank that way" Lucy started pointing out with her fingers "Secondly, it's just bizarre to think about my best mate having a crush on my older sister" then she finished without hesitation "And last but not least, I got over it, I rather to put it in the back of my mind and not worry"

Dom looked to me, her mouth agape. Yeah, Lucy scares me when she seems to be so well solved with her own problems. She's just twelve, for Merlin's beard!

"HOW DO YOU MANAGE TO HANDLE IT SO WELL?" Dom exclaimed exasperated.

"It's part of who I am" Lucy simply said, standing up and taking a final sip of her pumpkin juice "Must be dad's genes" she winked at us, referring to the jokes my father and our uncles do to the fact that Lucy is just too cool to be uncle Percy's daughter.

"BUT HE'S MY DAD'S BROTHER!" Dom yelled at Lucy, who already was crossing the door out of the Great Hall "I SHOULD HAVE THE GENES TOO"

"DOM!" I scolded her "Stop yelling like this! It's calling everybody's attention"

"I CAN'T!" she replied, her eyes wide "I need to solve my problems, I just want to act cool like Lucy and stop being a drama queen"

"FINALLY!" I yelled at her face "I've been waiting for you to realise that apologising is the best option for a long time now"

"Really?" apparently Dom doesn't have any idea of what is going on around her.

"Yeah" I rolled my eyes at her "You're such a big head"

It earned me an irritated glance from Dom, but at least finally she recognises that things can't stay like this.

Thanks uncle Percy and aunt Audrey for insisting on having a second daughter although it had been tough for them. What would be of all of us without Lucy Weasley's wise counselling and mature behaviour to teach us how to deal with our problems?

* * *

"Rosie" a voice called me, sounding so real that I couldn't believe that through a dreamless night a voice appeared in the middle of my peaceful darkness.

"Rosie" the voice called me again, Merlin, I wish I could control my dreams, I would shut up this voice.

"WAKE UP" another voice yelled at my ear, making me jump from my bed and fall to the floor.

"WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?" I yelled pissed off.

As I looked around I noticed that Emma was nowhere to be seen, Effie's curtain's were closed – probably a guy was here with her -, while Ella and Dom were standing over me, a funny look on their faces.

"You are horrible to wake up" Dom complained "I've been trying to do it for a long time"

"What a delicate way to do it" I muttered sarcastically, standing up and walking back to my bed.

"No no, ma'am" Ella stopped me.

"Don't talk to me, traitor, I know you are the one that yelled on my ear!" I said accusingly to my best friend. How could she? She knows that sleeping is the most precious time of my life, after eating.

You don't disturb people like this, it's cruelty.

"Stop the drama!" Ella rolled her eyes "You cousin Fred wants all of us at the Hospital Wing with him"

"For what?" I asked lazily, I'm not understanding what's going on.

"Amelie is getting out today of the Hospital Wing and he wants us to be there for him" Dom said impatiently, throwing a large t-shirt that I use as dress with my combat boots. I love feeling simple and comfortable.

"For him?" I asked again, I'm not getting it.

"Yeah" they said in an obvious tone.

"But he's not the one that spent one month in the Hospital Wing" I pointed out to them.

"Why is she not clever when she just woke up?" Dom asked Ella, who seemed to be really trying to find an answer about it.

"Hey!" I protested "I'm here"

"We know it" Ella said "I think that her brain's functions are numb after she just woke up, but after she eats they get back to work perfectly"

"Hey!" I can't believe they are saying these things about me like I'm not around them when actually I'm here.

"Go change your clothes" Dom commanded me, and I obeyed because I really am hungry, now that they woke me up.

After I changed from my comfy pajamas, Dom, Ella and I met with James, Fred, Hugo, Louis, Lily, Molly and Lucy, and later with Albus and Malfoy, Roxy and Liam.

"Really?" I asked Ella grumpily "Not only is seven in the morning as we are not going to the Great Hall to take breakfast?"

"Yep, grow up, toddler" Ella rolled her eyes to me, she had a funny look on them until they met with Albus' eyes, then it vanished from hers as he turned his face to not look at her.

I can see she's feeling pain for Albus avoiding her, Ella didn't get offend that he tried to kiss her, she just doesn't want to lose her friend Albus, and that's what seems to have happened.

I felt as a scowl took over my face, my stomach making loud noises as we walked together towards the Hospital Wing, an anxious Fred in front of us with James by his side supporting him.

I hope Amelie doesn't get scared, I don't know if she would like to see so many people right after getting out of almost a month in the Hospital Wing.

But we are Fred's family and apparently he wants us to support him so he can support her.

Merlin, he's so head over heels, so over the moon for her that it seems ridiculous. He indeed makes love looks silly, like I don't know which of my cousins said when Fred saw her at the Quidditch World Cup during summer. He got so numbed by her that I swear he was almost drooling for Amelie.

I will never drool for someone, Merlin, how disgusting!

"Nice outfit" Malfoy said as he got by my side, I didn't even notice but I was the one most behind of out group. I'm just so tired, I don't want to walk so early and without food inside of me until the Hospital Wing. It doesn't sound right.

"Sod off" I said playfully, we've been in this mood recently, and I could feel myself lighting up a bit just by his funny smirk.

"Why every compliment I tell you do you think I'm mocking you?" he asked me pretending to be offended.

"Because that's what you do best, ferret" I mocked him, messing his already messed hair.

I bet he fell off his bed just like me, Malfoy also loves to sleep, I discovered recently.

"Ouch, Weasel" he covered his chest where his heart is "I thought that to you what I do best is when I make you moan my…"

"Shhh" I covered his mouth desperately.

He giggled under my hand, licking my palm as he opened his mouth.

"Eww, that's gross, Malfoy!" I complained, cleaning my hand on his firm chest.

Merlin, I need to take off my hand from his chest.

Firstly he can't know I simply love to feel his muscles under my touch, and secondly we are with my whole family around us, they can't know we've been enjoying each other like this.

As we finally arrived at the Hospital Wing, I noticed how Madame Maxime, some Beauxbatons' students, including Genevieve, and Headmistress McGonagall were there waiting for Amelie as well.

They all had serious expressions on their faces, and we felt really unsure of how to act while the French girl just doesn't come out from the bloody giant doors of the Hospital Wing.

Fred already was in front of them, pacing impatiently from one side to the other.

"He's a nerve wrecking" James muttered to us, but of course he just can't whisper because he's so loud that Fred looked at us suspiciously.

"You are so loud, James Potter" Roxy complained, yawning and resting her face on Liam's chest.

"And you clearly stayed up very late having a good shag" James mocked her, making Roxy crimson immediately.

She didn't deny it though.

Our male cousins covered their ears, making disgusting sounds and complaining with James for putting the image of their older cousins shagging her boyfriend in their heads. Molly rolled her eyes not surprise with James' attitude, while Dom, Lucy and Ella giggled at the boys' reactions.

Albus was making a great effort to not show any reaction, probably to keep his grumpy and serious façade, but I could see a scowl on his face. He's still the Albus we all know, he's just hurt and doesn't know how to deal with his feelings.

Malfoy rolled his eyes, his grey ones meeting mine as we locked a short glance.

He's probably thinking the same as me, we need to do something with Albus.

"AMELIE!" Fred exclaimed excited, getting our attention to a young and petite girl standing at the open giant doors of the Hospital Wing.

She was looking fine, just like if nothing had happened with her. Nobody could say Amelie spent almost a month there, she's looking fine.

And then what nobody was expecting happened.

"You are my boyfriend now, and I am your girlfriend" she said in a demanding tone, getting Fred by the collar of his shirt and smashing her lips over his, snogging him deeply.

Fred seemed numb for a time, not reacting at all. So weird to watch.

Headmistress McGonagall was trying hard not to laugh, looking at us like if remembering something. Merlin, I hope my parents have never done something like this in front of her, it's embarrassing.

Amelie's French friends were chuckling discreetly, while Madame Maxime didn't seem to approve the behaviour of her favourite student.

"Well" James said surprised "Things always end up well for little Freddie"

"He seems to be the only one with luck in the family" Lucy muttered, her eyes closed so she doesn't have to look at the couple snogging in front of everybody.

"That's depressive" Dom complained.

"That's lovely" Lily said elated at the same time.

I just glanced at them, how ironical… They look like two sides of the same coin, little did Lily know…

Roxy finally decided to step in as the responsible and rational person she is. She coughed loudly to get their attention but it didn't work at all.

"FRED" she decided to yell, to deal with our family that's probably the most efficient way.

"Hmmm" he complained but took his lips off from Amelie's.

His arms still were around her though, a giant beam on his face, his eyes shining with fullness.

"I envy Fred so much right now" Albus whispered so Malfoy and I, the ones by his side, could hear.

I touched his hair tenderly while Malfoy patted at his back to comfort him.

Merlin, I'm feeling suddenly depressed, why things couldn't be simple for them like it happened to Fred?

The girl rocks, uh? Such attitude, I admire her even more now.

"I know you're elated that now you're dating the girl you always had a crush on…" Roxy was saying "But now is not the place"

"Said the girl that spent the whole night shag…" James tried to embarrass Roxy in front of everybody but she used a spell on him that made his tongue so big that it couldn't fit inside his mouth anymore, making it impossible for him to speak.

"Thank you, Roxy" Lucy said, making everybody laugh "Isn't it dangerous for a someone that a while ago was in coma to snog so intensively right after getting out of the Hospital?"

"Lucy!" Molly scolded her little sister, elbowing Lucy on her ribs, making her earn an irritated look.

"What?" Lucy sometimes doesn't know when to shut up her big mouth, uh? "I'm just worried about my cousin and our Quidditch star"

I couldn't restrain myself anymore and joined my cousins with their chuckles. Lucy is hilarious!

"You must be Lucy" Amelie said in a perfect English, although she's French, well, she must be like Louis, Dom and Vic, the three of them speak both languages perfectly with the local accents without confounding them.

Then Lucy shut up, because one of her idols was in front of her, beaming sweetly and asking her name.

"Yep" Lucy gulped, her eyes full of fascination for Amelie Marchand.

"Thank you, Amelie, you're the only one that found out how to make her stop babbling" Molly said.

"Oh, finally I can meet you all!" Amelie exclaimed excited "Fred told me everything about you, guys"

All of us looked surprised to each other. We knew that everyday Fred visited her, but we never imagined that he had talked so much about us.

"WELCOME TO THE FAMILY!" James exclaimed excited, engulfing Amelie and Fred in an embrace with the whole family.

The couple giggled happily, and I couldn't stop myself from beaming at their happiness and seeing my family here, together for Fred and being able to witness him probably living the best day of his life.

* * *

"I love Fred but he's being disgusting" Roxy said to us.

The whole family plus Liam, Amelie, Ella, Teddy, Frank, Effie, Jack, Alice, Matteo, Violet, Lorcan, Harper, Lysander and Malfoy were near the Black Lake, most of us seated under our favourite tree, a large one. It's Sunday and we decided to reunited under the sun in a last minute arrangement, apparently Ella and Lysander had the idea and someway it got spread quickly through the whole family and friends.

So now here we are, there's food, small talks, laughs here and there, some are in the lake taking a refreshing swim, others are sleeping under the three, some are reading while others are just enjoying the peaceful moment.

But Fred and Amelie just can't take their lips off each other nor their hands.

"Yeah" Molly agreed, a scowl on her face, not enjoying the scene as well.

"They have been snogging for almost forty minutes and their record is five minutes non-stopping, and they just didn't stop touching each other for the last one hour…" Lucy said, a disgusting look on her face.

"I don't know who said it" Dom muttered, a sad expression on her face "But indeed Fred makes look like being in love is silly"

"I know, right?" I agreed "I just remembered it as well"

"Stop it, girls" Ella scolded us, she was meditating with Lysander, or at least he was trying to "You should stop putting your nose on Fred's relationship and do something productive"

"Gossiping has always been productive to me" Effie said sincerely, making all of us chuckle.

"I can't keep my noise out of their relationship if they are snogging in front of my nose" Lucy said cleverly, making us chuckle even more.

Even Ella couldn't restrain herself.

"Come on" Harper scolded us "Give the guy a break, he has been in love with her for a long time"

Indeed she's right.

"Is it how you are supposed to act when you finally stay with the person you want?" Lucy asked, but did it to the wrong person, Harper.

"Must be…" she said sadly, looking at where James and Violet were laying down, holding each other and snogging as well.

"Lucy" I whispered, scolding her.

And this time she stayed quiet, understanding what was going on.

Thanks, Merlin! But just because Lucy loves Harper, or she would have said something sarcastic.

"You are very observer, Lucy" Teddy pointed out.

"At her age James was eating crayons" Lily said, making us giggle.

Merlin, these girls from my family have no limits.

I love it!

"Hugo still peed on his bed" I revealed, earning an irritated glance from my brother while the girls and Teddy were laughing.

"ROSIE!" he complained.

Effie, who was lying beside him, kissed his right cheek and I noticed how his ears got even redder than they already were.

What the bloody hell is going on between them? I hope is just this, Hugo is too young and Effie too experienced…

"How cute, Hugo" Effie giggled, making Louis rolls his eyes.

Wait… There's probably much more than I can imagine there…

But I just don't have time now for them, I want to relax.

"Yeah, I am" Lucy agreed with what Teddy said about her "That's why I already noticed that you are almost getting mad because you need to talk you Rose and Scorpius but you just don't know how to do it"

"Wha-…" Teddy shook his head surprised "Yeah, you're right, Lucy…" he said impressed.

Well, he's not the only one, Lucy is impressive, indeed.

"You welcome" she simply said, getting back to her position of tanning.

"Lucy, you're burned already" Molly scolded her little sister, being ignored by her.

"Rosie, Scorp, can we?" Teddy asked nervously.

I noticed how Malfoy looked at me questioningly before agreeing with Teddy and standing on his feet.

Merlin, I'm still seated processing everything and can't stop thinking how bloody tall Malfoy, his genes are ridiculous.

Malfoy and I followed a nervous Teddy until we reached a place away from the rest of the family and friends, I could feel their curious and worried eyes on us as we walked away from them.

"What's going on, Teddy?" I tried to sound calm, but my voice betrayed me.

He noticed it and after seeing Malfoy's worried look on his face he relaxed.

"Don't worry guys, I just need your help" Teddy said, beaming to prove that we shouldn't worry at all.

"Our?" Malfoy asked "Mine and Weasley's?" he seemed incredulous that both of us could help him.

"You know that we almost don't agree in every single thing right?" I asked rhetorically "How could both of us help you?" I was getting curious each time more.

Teddy's hair was changing fast, from ginger, just like mine, to platinum, just like Malfoy's, to blue turquoise, to pink bubblegum, to canary yellow.

"Teddy…" I almost begged him to day something.

"I want to propose to Vic" Teddy spited out quickly.

"Woah" Malfoy said surprised, but them beamed, patting Teddy on his back "That's great, Teddy"

"I'm not surprised at all" I said, but beamed reassuringly to him "Congratulations"

"What?" Teddy asked me "Why are you congratulating me?"

"Because obviously Vic is going to say yes?" Malfoy replied but was sounding a bit unsure why Teddy was asking it for us.

"Yeah?" I tried to agree, not so sure anymore why Teddy is not so sure.

"Why are both of you so sure of this?" Teddy asked us a little desperate.

"Why are you not?" I replied back to him.

Is Teddy alright? He seems like he's going to faint in a few seconds.

"Why would she?" Teddy asked us, but it seemed like he actually asked himself.

"Are you joking?" I retorted, feeling really confused.

"Because she's bloody crazy for you as much as you are for her?" Malfoy asked but in an obvious tone, sounding as confused as me.

Merlin, this is getting really confused.

"How can you be so sure?" Teddy asked us, insecurity suddenly clear in his voice.

"How can you not, Teddy?" I asked him, embracing him tenderly "You've been dating for a long time and love each other so much"

"Is it noticeable?" Teddy asked us, embracing me back and kissing my hair.

"Dude, have you been hit by a quaffle?" Malfoy asked incredulously to Teddy.

Merlin, we share this feeling, why is Teddy feeling so insecure.

"I know I'm sounding weird and everything seems perfect" Teddy said, messing his hair nervously, an habit he got from uncle Harry "But that's what I fear, what if I ask the woman I love to marry me and she says no?"

"Teddy" I said "Whatever she says, although I think she will say yes, Vic will have her own reasons, but none of them is that she doesn't love you and doesn't want to stay with you"

"How come?" Teddy asked me confused.

I could notice Malfoy watching us attentively, and I was feeling grateful that he was not making jokes and was taking the situation seriously and not interrupting me.

"Well, she could want to wait a little longer, or want to focus now on her career, or have other plans that not include marriage" I tried to say it without sounding pessimist "Nowadays marriage isn't an imperative action in women's lives, we have plans and the right of choosing whatever we want to do, and marriage doesn't sound obligatory anymore, but whatever the choices are it doesn't mean that they love their partner less"

"Oh, I got it, indeed, I can't be selfish" Teddy said "I would love to marry Vic now, but if that's not what she wants then I will respect her, and who knows a few years later I can try again"

"Yeah, but don't be pessimist, Teddy" Malfoy comforted him "You should try, because although I agree with Weasley and she knows what she's saying, both of us don't doubt that Vic will say yes"

"Woah, you sound so mature" Teddy looked surprise to us "What happened to the Rose and Scorpius that I used to know that were always arguing and bickering around the castle?"

Well, we started snogging and acting like... Friends? Colleagues with benefits... Perhaos that's why we are more mature.

How ironical.

"We are growing up" Malfoy said simply, thanks Merlin he said somethings that doesn't sound suspect.

"Anyway, thank you for preparing me to any possibility without discouraging me from doing what my heart tells me to do" he embraced both of us at the same time, making Malfoy and I giggle at the strange position.

"We're here for you" I told him.

"I know, that's why I wanted to talk to both of you" Teddy then giggled "and for other reason…"

Malfoy and I exchanged a confused look, but before we could ask Teddy anything he interrupted our thoughts.

"How could I do it, how could I propose to Vic?" he asked us "What do you think she would like, Rosie?"

"Hm" I was thinking "Vic is discreet and low key, but still very romantic"

"Translate, Weasel" Malfoy mocked me "Women" he was shaking his head while sharing an understanding glance with Teddy.

Men. I thought, rolling my eyes at them.

"I think that would be nice proposing to her when are just the two of us, and making it in a very romantic way, you probably know how to do it better than me though" I said.

"You're right" Teddy agreed "I'm feeling so many emotions that I even get lost in my own thoughts, I know exactly what to do now"

"When will you do it?" Malfoy asked him.

"Our anniversary is in December, so I thought in doing it that day" Teddy explained to us.

"Hmm" I wondered "Will you be able to patiently wait until December?" I would never be able to wait so long for something I want so much, I'm extremely anxious.

"I think that until there I will have more time to plan and prepare myself for this" Teddy said firmly.

"Okay then, we support you whatever you decide" Malfoy said to him without hesitation.

"Thank you, both of you" Teddy messed my hair and patted Malfoy on the shoulder "My favourite cousins"

Malfoy and I exchanged a happy glance as we beamed at Teddy, he's so sweet and caring.

He started to walk away from us, apparently he has some classes to prepare for tomorrow.

"Oh" he stopped walking and turned around to face us "The other reason I wanted to talk to both of you is that you two are exactly just like Vic and I used to be at Hogwarts"

"What do you mean?" I asked with a scowl.

It can't be good.

"We used to hate each other and then we became friends with benefits, more the benefit part than the friends, actually, just like you two" Teddy winked at us, laughing at our expressions "Don't worry, your secret is hidden with me, see you around"

Because Teddy and Vic ended up being in love, that's why it can't be good.

After Teddy left us there, startled that he knew our secret, I couldn't restrain myself but laugh about the whole situation.

Teddy is bloody insane.

"What's funny?" Malfoy asked me, making me feel a déjà vu.

"Life in general" I said, beaming as I noticed he had recognized my words "Me specifically"

Malfoy chuckled now, remembering that intense night of the many that we snogged in the corridor.

"And now is it when I snog you or you already start moaning my name just by the way I look at you?" Malfoy mocked me, encircling his strong arms around my waist.

Thanks Merlin that Teddy took us away from everybody's eyesight, because I couldn't nor wanted to resist Malfoy's touches and snogs.

"Now is when I knock you to the floor" I said as he fell backwards on the grass, me over him, both of us giggling "And I start snogging you so fiercely that I already can feel your bulge under me"

His eyes got wide as I said that, but he didn't deny any single detail of it.

Suddenly Malfoy turned us around and now he was on top of me, my hair all over the floor around my face.

"You were so nice with Teddy" Malfoy muttered, looking deep into my blue eyes.

His grey ones drawing me to him. It never fails, right?

"We make a good team" I said, smirking spontaneously to him.

"Indeed" he agreed, kissing tenderly the tip of my nose before moving his lips to my neck.

Merlin, give me strength before I lose my control with this handsome all over me.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hey folks, I can't believe I'm posting Chapter 20! It's been an insane journey! I'm really happy with all the feedback I got from you, my readers, and I hope to read more and more with your reviews!

I want to give a special 'thank you' to my reviewers from Chapter 19: _ALIASTESIN_ , _baronnis_ , _Emilia_ and _AhsokaAmidala34_. You guys made my day with your kind words and make me keep up with my writing! Thank you so much! I really appreciate it!

I hope all of you like this Chapter 20, and please review to me, I love to get your feedback!

See you around,

 _Binki_


	21. Overloaded

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, Jo Rowling is the amazing brain behind the Wizarding World!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twenty-One - Overloaded**

Last week of October, finally.

I have so much to do, though.

I need to help Roxy to decipher that map she got from her first task, Malfoy and I have to finish brewing our Amortentia for Potions (at least our Veritaserum is already done since last month, apparently Al and Ella's project isn't finished because they are not talking anymore), also we have to keep up our investigation about Heather.

Last but not least, Halloween, which gives me mixed feelings because although we always have a huge party here at Hogwarts to celebrate and have some fun, also is the day that uncle Harry's parents were murdered by Voldemort.

Albus already told me that this day uncle Harry stays quiet, just looking at the few pictures he has of his parents and other beloved ones that passed away, like his godfather Sirius Black. Mum and dad usually spend the day with him for support, as obviously does aunt Ginny, so he suffer alone.

Merlin, they are so wonderful, the Golden Trio. I'm so lucky to be related to them.

This reminds me the letter I sent to mum after the "accident" with Amelie during the first task. And then what she answered me:

" _Hello, dear,_

 _I understand your concern about me, but no, I'm not going to interrupt the Tournament, but I already have a team that is going to investigate the circumstances about the accident. As you, I also have my doubts whether what happened is just an accident. I already have seen so much terrible things, Rosie, I don't want you and your brother and my nieces and nephews, not any other students, to face the fear I felt during your age so many years ago._

 _But don't worry, dear. Enjoy your year with your cousins and friends, the tough part mum will manage to repair. I'll come around to watch the second task so perhaps we could meet and take an afternoon tea on Saturday? I pretend that you still don't drink butterbeer or firewhiskey, but if you have any other idea it's fine as well, I just miss my children._

 _Please invite your brother to come with us, he doesn't write to me as much as I would like him to. Dad will try to come as well, but the movement at the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes has been unstoppable, which is fine because this way we argue less than usual._

 _With love,_

 _Mum_

 _Ps. Tell your brother that if he just sends one letter per month to us he may be in trouble, but say it to intimidate him without forgetting to be kind, okay?"_

"So, that's my idea" Malfoy said, looking expectantly to me.

That's not the look coming from him that I'm used to, it's quite disturbing to see him looking to me like this, actually. Make it seems like I have to please him because for someone so Mr. Facade like him it means a lot that I can see such expression in his face.

"Ye-ah" I tried to pretend that I know what he said.

But I am a terrible actress when someone catches me like this, complete out of the world.

Malfoy is not stupid, he noticed.

Merlin, he's annoying.

"You're not listening to me" he said a little pissed off, a frown in his face.

"I am" I protested, this time I managed to speak firmly.

He looked at me suspiciously, not believing in me.

I wouldn't as well, must be very clear in my face that I'm lying. Just someone like Lysander would believe me. Or Ella. That's why we are best friends, she's the only one that actually bears me for her own will, my family has to bear me because we are family.

"Fine" he said reluctantly, not actually buying my words.

We were finishing brewing our Amortentia, and I can say that it is almost perfect. We need to get whatever reward it may be, I know Professor Finnigan never disappoint his students. When Roxy and Liam did the best potions during her sixth year they got tickets to watch a game between Falcons and Cannons. I don't need to say who lost, right?

"Malfoy" I said to change the topic but also because it's a really important subject "We need to keep with our investigation"

"I know" Malfoy replied while reading the final touches to our Amortentia in one of the many books we got from the Library "That's why I thought we could act this week"

"So?" I asked him, I feel like and adult when we talk about it, seems like we are the ones in charge to solve this mystery.

"Do you remember about that book that is always with Heather but she never opens it?" he asked me, now looking to my eyes.

I tried not to get lost in his eyes because I need to focus in what really matters now. But his singular grey tone is making it hard to accomplish.

"Yeah" I decided to use effortless answers.

"Well, we need to see what about this book" Malfoy told me.

"Right, but how can we?" I asked him.

"Do I have to come up with every idea?" he questioned rhetorically, looking to the ceiling. Oh, that bastard!

"You are in the same House as her, must be easier for you to get it" I said like it that's the most obvious affirmation.

"But you're a girl" he pointed out.

"Very well noticed, Malfoy" I said in a mocking tone.

What I meant is 'what's the point, dude?', and I bet he got it, because although we are enemies we kind of know each other very well based on tone of voice.

"That's not the point, Weasel" he rolled his eyes, arching one of his eyebrows at me "You girls have a strange habit of going to the lavatory together..."

"Yeah, Ella and I, Dom and I, not me and Heather Nott" I said a bit tired, he takes so long to say what he wants to say...

"Anyway, you could get the book while she's at the lavatory" Malfoy finished, an arrogant smirk in his face.

"It doesn't even seem that you are second in class" I mocked him "We can't simply get her book, she's going to notice it's missing"

"Well, figure it out" he said to me, getting back to our Amortentia.

"You figure it out, sir" I replied stubbornly, I hate when people tell what to do, when Malfoy does it then, it's even worse.

"I will" he murmured, his jaw tense.

Someone is getting pissed off. Probably that's what we do best with each other, besides snogging.

Merlin, we are such hormonal adolescents.

"How, 'genious'?" I mocked him again, blimey, I missed mocking him, we've been too lovely with each other recently.

Considering that everybody around us got strangely mad, we've been each other comfort recently.

"During the second task I'll keep an eye on her" Malfoy said, looking to me expectantly.

"And then I'll keep an eye on the students of the other schools and their Headmasters" I said "There's something going on that we are totally missing"

"Yeah, but you're still gonna have to borrow her book when she's in the lavatory" he told me.

"I know, I could try to make a copy of her book then we can stay with the real one" I said while thinking with myself with is the best spell for this.

"That's great" Malfoy agreed, we are agreeing about something, whoa!

"Now we just have to wait for the best opportunity..." I murmured while putting the final ingredient to our Amortentia "I'll take the Map with me, just in case"

"Just be careful, Myrtle is always around and you know how she loves an intrigue" Malfoy warned me, his face with a scowl.

"What?" I asked him curiously "Seems like you have some sort of trauma with Moaning Myrtle"

"I do have" he admitted "She invaded the prefect's lavatory when I was having a relaxing bath"

"What do you mean with 'invaded'?" I asked him, trying to hide my giggles.

"Don't make me remember it, Weasley" he almost pleaded, a disgusted tone in his voice "All I can say is that she can see through bubbles..."

"Merlin, she's the one who started the gossip around the castle that you're really fine..." I said it aloud.

Oh no!

Malfoy got crimson. I had never seen him crimson, but it happened too fast that soon he had recovered and how had an arrogant smirk covering his face.

"That's why you snogged me that night at the corridor and never stopped?" he mocked me, his eyes full of malice.

"Wha-what?" I asked him, not believing myself that I am stuttering "Of course not!" I protested, I have to protect my dignity.

"Why are you all red?" he was giggling now, his eyes relaxed with laughter.

He's laughing of me, I won't let it happen.

"Sod off, ferret" I said defensively "And just to point out, you are the one who snogged me first"

"No, and you know it" he said to me "I bet that you wanted to check if what Myrtle said about me is true" an arrogant smirk on his face.

Damn it, I hate when he has this expression on his face. But I have to say that when he looks to me like this I get a little excited. But just a little, because my rage gets the best of me.

"I have to say that I've been very disappointed" I decided to turn the tables, he won't mock me, I won't let him do it "Myrtle overrat-"

Before I could notice, Malfoy interrupted me savagely, smashing his lips over mine, his hands grabbing my butt firmly as he placed me over the table, his body between my open legs.

Merlin, how did he do it? What's my name? I can't remember anything when he snogs me like this.

Why did I have to release the beast?

Malfoy was snogging me fiercely, one hand now holding my head through my hair, tugging it a little to the side so he could have access to my neck.

Merlin's beard. What-the-bloody-hell.

I decided to enjoy the moment, Malfoy is usually gentle, but I love when he gets like this, restless.

I grabbed the hair on the back of his head, my other hand on his strong torso, feeling the warmth coming from his skin under his white shirt. Before I could notice, I opened the first two buttons, revealing his chest to me.

Merlin, now I was feeling his skin under the tip of my fingers, and the sensation is marvellous! So soft and yet so strong, so irresistible.

Malfoy moaned as I touched his torso, snogging me deeply, one hand holding my butt firmly.

I tried to close even more the distance between us, adoring the feeling of his strong body against mine.

Merlin, why does it feel like we are in summer again? I could feel the blood pumping fast through my veins, I'm getting intoxicated by Malfoy.

Malfoy out of so many boys in this castle, why him?

But why not him? He's so hot and has such a strong personality after all.

There's no girl in this castle that cares about the fact that he's a Malfoy anymore, they care about other things.

And now I understand why.

He's unstoppable, he's intoxicating. He's everywhere.

I rubbed my body against his where our bodies touch, feeling the growing bulge in his crotch pressing against my sensible part, only covered by my jeans.

Bloody jeans, why I couldn't have worn a skirt, just like most girls? I can see the disadvantage of it now.

I can't believe I'm having dirty thoughts like this.

Suddenly our cauldron started to gurgle and a warm foam was dripping intensively, getting my attention and Malfoy's back to the Amortentia.

"Merlin" I exclaimed, still feeling dazzled as we stopped snogging.

But we still are in our positions, his body so close to mine that I wanted to cry of frustration.

At the same time that I want to feel him closer, I don't understand how I can have these thoughts of my greatest-enemy-turned-colleague-with-benefits.

Bloody hormonal adolescents we are.

I could feel Malfoy's warm breathe on my neck, his chin on my collarbone. His hand was still on my butt, both now. Merlin, he makes me feel, whatever it is, he does. And I feel so alive after these moments.

"We need to finish it" I muttered, caring his hair from his forehead and adoring the sensation of doing so.

I had never done it before, it felt so intimate. But now it also felt so right.

"Only if you take back what you said" Malfoy muttered, our foreheads touching, our lips close again "And admit that I'm not overrated"

"What?" I chuckled "Someone's ego is hurt?" I mocked him.

"Just do it, Weasel" he replied too confident for my taste "We both know how I make you feel"

Merlin, he's so obnoxious.

At the same time that he's so hot.

"Actually I'm not feeling it yet..." I murmured, trying to imply something, I hope he notices it "Perhaps you I could have a better taste so I can-"

And again he interrupted me, smashing his lips again against mine, making me giggle spontaneously, just enjoy the feeling of having Malfoy all over me.

As long as he keeps interrupting me like this and not to make unpleasant remarks, I'm fine.

* * *

Al and I were having quite a nice time together just the two of us, like old times. Although we found other really good friends and got sorted to different houses, we always managed to spend some time together. After all, we are like siblings, we were raised like this.

Indeed, we are like enemies in Quidditch, Slytherin and Gryffindor is an old rivalry, but we always enjoyed training together so we can help each other. I have to admit though that is also very good to know how Al plays, so I pay a lot of attention to his abilities and use this information in the game, but that's how I am, lame.

Al is sweet and naïve, because I don't think he pays much attention as he could so to use this information in his favour.

"Rosie, perhaps you could try to slow down a bit when doing this manoeuvre so you can get the exact point to throw the Quaffle and score" Al said very professionally, if there's something he really loves to study about, that is Quidditch.

I don't have much patience to read about something when I rather play it, but indeed Al helps me a lot. Last year I even gave him a book written by Oliver Wood about Quidditch technique and he loved.

I tried to do as Al said and indeed it seemed to work better.

"Thank you, Al" I muttered, flying in his direction and feeling my body warm from training "How long have we been training?"

"Hm" he looked to the grey sky above "Probably more than an hour, time flies when we have fun, right?" Albus looked excited to me.

"Sure" I giggled at his reaction "I would rather say that time flies when we are doing stuff together"

"Indeed" he agreed, smirking spontaneously "So, considering that we are together and having fun, time is flying twice as much"

"Hey" I protested, messing his jet black hair just to piss him off "I should say things like this, not you"

"Firstly, stop pretending to be a know-it-all at everything, I'm better than you when studying Quidditch" he poked my cheek "And secondly, ewww! How disgusting, I'm sweating like a pig" he looked to my hand after I messed his hair.

"I know, I already regretted it" I said, drying my hand at my robes "And I'll never stop pretending" throwing him an intimidating glare.

"Of course you won't" Al said defeated.

His mood had lightened up a bit, he's not that unbearable and grumpy anymore, but still, I had gotten used to be around Al and Ella at the same time. I'm not saying that I would love if they were dating, but I rather this than they treating each other like they don't exist. Actually Al started it, not Ella.

"When will you talk to Ella?" I asked him carefully, fearing to destroy the fun time we are having.

"You just destroyed the fun time we were having" Al replied grumpily "I already told you, I don't feel comfortable anymore around her"

"Merlin, Albus!" I don't know if I can handle this attitude much longer, Malfoy also doesn't "I know it must hurt to not have your feelings reciprocated, but you guys were friends, do you rather not talking to her than being friends?"

"Rosie" Al sighed "She rejected me, you have no idea how this can be painful, I'm not being a jerk, I just don't feel like being around her anymore" he said sad, his eyes avoiding mine to hide his feelings.

"What's the point, Al?" I asked him frustrated "You're sad, she's sad, both of you clearly miss each other..."

"You should apologise" a voice came from behind us, as we turned around I saw Dominique Weasley, one of the greatest Beaters Gryffindor ever had, flying in front of us with her broom.

"Ok" Al looked to me "Now our fun time has been completely destroyed" he didn't even looked to Dom "Excuse me"

"OH STOP IT ALBUS" Dom said impatiently, surprisingly I handle Al's drama for a long time, Dom on the other hand, she's very blunt.

My eyes probably got wide because Dom looked taken aback after looking to me, she got her composure back and sighed.

"Look Al, I'm sorry" she said, her voice fragile, but her eyes looking very determinately to Albus "I shouldn't have said those things, I don't ever want to hurt you, things just come out of my mouth before I can think straight"

"I know, I shouldn't be surprised" Al murmured, looking around a bit uncomfortable.

Why am I always in the middle of situations like this?

"Anyway" Dom recovered her strong tone of voice "I didn't mean to so I hope you can accept my apologies" she looked hopefully to Al, his expression distant and cold.

I hate cold Albus, doesn't seem like my warm and kind Albus.

Actually he looks a lot like aunt Ginny when he is like this, if she looks at you like this you know you're in trouble. The funny part is that Albus is the exact copy of uncle Harry, so how can he look like his mum that he actually doesn't look like not even an inch.

I could feel the tension in the air, Dom is being sincere, but also she is very blunt, so she may sound a bit indelicate, but I know she's doing it with all her heart. Al is quiet, looking somewhere else but not at us, like wondering about what to say.

"Al, it's not worth to hold grudge from the ones we love" I told him "We are family and we make mistakes and may hurt each other sometimes, but we are more than this"

"I also was wondering if you could help me to improve my Quidditch skills..." Dom said carefully but with a smirk on her face.

She has always been too proud to admit she may need help to improve her technique, and Al has always wanted to help her with that.

"Really?" he asked trying to conceal his excitement, but it was very clear in his voice.

"Yeah, but only if you forgive me..." she was saying as Al interrupted her with a tight embrace "I would say disgusting because you're all sweaty but that's all what I needed"

I felt my heart getting warm by this, watching two of my favourite people in the world reuniting after such a long and painful time for everybody.

"Love you, Dom" Albus muttered, still embracing her "Of course I forgive you, I missed you" his voice was trembling a bit, I noticed and so did Dom, who embraced him even tighter.

"I love you and missed you too, big head" she said, her voice full of emotion "Come here, Rosie" Dom called me, open one of her arms for me.

"Yeah, come on" Al agreed "You've been the one helping us all to deal with our problems"

"Indeed" I said giggling, going to their embrace.

"Eww, you're sweaty as well" Dom muttered but she wasn't annoyed, on the contrary.

"Nothing like sweat to reunite our family" I said.

"What about some food to seal our love for each other?" Dom suggested, looking to me like if she was already sure of what my answer would be.

"We already know that you want this so let's go" Albus said, flying to the ground.

"Do you really want his help to improve your Quidditch skills?" I asked Dom as we followed Albus in our brooms.

"Shhh" she scolded me "I just said it to warm his heart"

"You know I can always remember him, right?" I asked her.

"Blackmailing doesn't sound like you though" Dom pointed out.

"I'm just too cool for you, guys" I replied, indeed I am and Dom even agreed.

* * *

On Friday night I was feeling numb from so many essays I had written, I had spent most of my time at the library but at least not only I would have a free weekend as also next week I just had to deliver my hard work to my professors. I bet that Albus and Dom didn't think about it so they could have a more relaxed week.

"Damn it you look like a zombie" my brother said to me as he took a seat in front of me at the Gryffindor table.

Louis sat on his left side and Effie on the other. She has been spending too much time with them but seriously, it's none of my business. I already have too much to think about, my brother can take care of himself.

"Blunt as ever, Hugh" Lily scolded him but had a grin on her face, taking a seat by my side and embracing me tenderly.

I love this little girl, she will always be my little sister. I noticed Lorcan beside her and tried my best to not roll my eyes at him, Lily deserves much better, he doesn't even seem happy to be with her so just let her move on with someone who wants to be in his place.

"You have a big mouth, Lils" James scolded his sister, taking a seat beside Louis with Violet clinging on his arm.

Merlin, another undesirable person, my cousins should pick better.

"And you're too loud, James" Roxy said, taking a seat by my other side with Liam.

Okay, I like Liam, he's nice and treat my cousins very well. He's almost part of the family.

"What the fuck?" I asked all of them "I was just having a peaceful dinner alone and from where the bloody hell did all you Weasleys appeared from?"

"Watch your language, Weasel" Malfoy scolded me, seating beside Effie with Albus.

Okay, now I allowed myself to roll my eyes.

Surprisingly he's not the worst person that decided to join the whole family and the dining table.

"Rosie, I already told you to not act childish" Ella said in a mocking tone, shining like a star with her light mood. This girl is awesome.

She embraced me from behind, kissing my hair before sitting beside Liam with Dom and Harper by her side.

I noticed as Albus tried to be discreet but kept looking at her. As her eyes met his, her grin fell from her face and a sad expression took over her face.

Merlin, seriously, couldn't they just get back together to let me be happy? I just can't handle this anymore.

"The table is too packed, when we want the whole family to have dinner together there's always someone missing, when I just want to dine peacefully all of you decide to join me, seriously?" I asked them a little grumpy.

I love my family, they just do things like this to piss me off. Hoy many times I tried to gather everyone together so we could enjoy a happy family time and someone never appeared for reasons that I don't even remember.

"Grow up, Rosie" Lucy said, of course she did, she had to join us too, Molly and a crimson Frank following her.

Merlin, Frank could be more discreet, he keeps staring at Molls, even Lucy noticed and she rolled her eyes.

"Oh no, you too" I complained.

"Wait for me, family" an elated Fred said with Amelie by his side.

"Oh no" Roxy complained this time.

Fred and Amelie have been all love since they started dating, it's making us really uneasy. The good side is that Fred is happy all the time, the bad side is that he makes like being in love is silly and ridiculous.

"Don't even start, Roxanne Weasley" Fred scolded his sister, but even when doing it he doesn't know how to sound serious because he's just so happy.

Other's happiness makes me sick, seriously.

Roxy rolled her eyes at her twin brother, probably that's not the first time she hears this.

"How did you manage to get here at the same time?" I asked them, I think I got flu, I'm not feeling well.

"Are you okay?" Roxy asked me worried, touching my forehead "Ouch, you're like boiling water!"

"What?" Ella asked surprised "Rosie never gets ill"

"Now we know this year is crazy" James said with a worried look.

Indeed I never get ill, never. The last time I was probably 11.

"What's the fuss all about?" Malfoy asked confused.

"Are you joking?" Al looked to me "You can't be!"

"Oh shit, I can't believe!" Louis complained, giving a coin to Hugo.

"Did you bet that Rose would get ill this year?" Fred asked both.

"Well..." Hugo tried to speak but was too ashamed for this.

"Hugo!" Ella scolded him, also looking worried.

Why are all of them looking worried?

"You guys still haven't answered me" I complained, but felt like my voice was too low for someone to hear me.

"You look pale" Effie told me, also looking worriedly to me.

"Merlin, can I dine peacefully?" I asked them, looking to my brother's blue eyes "Oh, I almost forgot, mum is coming tomorrow..." but I felt my vision getting blurred, black dots appearing and disappearing quickly.

"What?" Hugo asked confused.

"Rosie, you look like Mad-Eye Moody, you're eyes are fluttering..." Dom muttered looking to me worried as well.

"I'm fine!" I protested, but suddenly my head felt to heavy "Mum is coming tomorrow and wants to meet us for 'afternoon tea'" I said, mocking the term 'tea' "We should take her to the Three Broomsticks, dad may come too"

"Oh, that's great, I miss mum" Hugo said cheerfully, his only dimple prominent with his smirk "Does she know we already drink alcohol?"

"She probably did it as well at your age" Dom remarked.

"I just can't imagine our parents as adolescents..." Molly muttered.

"Oh, I can!" Lucy said, making everybody giggle.

"Am I going to meet my mother-in-law?" Effie asked jokingly but it was enough for Hugo and Louis to choke on their food.

"Effie!" I scolded her, she knows my brother and cousin have a crush on her and she loves to joke about it.

"Can we come as well?" James asked "Violet would love to meet the Minister!"

"Sod off, James" lily scolded him, rolling her eyes.

"No, it's just me, mum, Hugo and maybe dad" I said, scolding him with mum's typical death glare.

James understood very well and just got back to his food, with Violet rolling her eyes.

Not today or ever, sweetie.

I could see Harper giggling happily, she really doesn't like Violet and she already knows my mum because she has always been in the family gatherings.

"Before being the Minister she is our aunt, git!" Louis scolded James, doing a movement with his head that makes his curls look even more perfect

Merlin, these veela genes!

"Fine, I'll see you tomorrow then Hugh, after lunch we meet here at the Great Hall" I said and my brother agreed happily.

I adore witnessing his happiness when we see our parents, we are adolescents but we still are attached to them.

"Rosie, will you help me with my second task? It's Sunday already and I've figured it out a bit but I like when you help me" Roxy asked me, pouting to try to convince me.

"Sure, tonight I can go to your Common Room and we talk?" I suggested.

"Stan told me he already figured it out" Dom said "But didn't give me any further details"

I noticed how Lorcan rolled his eyes, how dare he? Dom has been very close to Stan and he treats her fine.

"Roxy, I think that it is a map, I just don't understand how" Amelie told my cousin, her English almost perfect.

As Roxy and Amelie talked about the map I thought how cool that they take the Tournament with sportsmanship rather than a competition for glory. And although Fred has been quite annoying since starting to date the girl he always had a crush on, Amelie and Roxy became great friends, which is nice to see.

Our family has a tradition for strong women and great female Quidditch players, Amelie is an awesome add to our group.

My vision is still blurred and indeed I'm noticing a growing heat in my forehead, before I could restrain myself I stood up quickly intending to go to my bed and get some sleep before meeting Roxy. But just as I got to my feet I felt dizzy and unbalanced.

"I'm not okay, folks" I said before everything turned black.

"Weasel!" I heard someone exclaiming before I felt myself getting drowned into the darkness.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hey, my dear readers!

I'm really sorry for taking so long to update, but a dear person in my life passed away recently and I just couldn't find inspiration inside of me to write, also in a gesture of respect for him! But now I'm back!

I want to dedicate this chapter to all of you my readers, the Harry Potter family (books and movies), and the beloved ones in my life! Thank you all of you for being in one way or another part of who I am!

I hope you enjoy this chapter! It's always a pleasure to me to write about the Wizarding World!

Also, thank you so much for the feedback of last chapter! I'm so glad that all of you are enjoying my story! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

And whoaaa! Eight reviews for one chapter? What a honour! Here are my replies for all the ones who left a review for me:

 _ALIASTESIN_ – Thank you so much for your support, it means a lot! I'm always glad when I see you left a review for me!

 _missfizzwizbiz_ – Hey, I missed you, my faithful reader! I hope you like this chapter, growing up is not easy but we learn with our mistakes, I hope Al and Dom realise it! About the French words, I guess they're not that uncommon in English, I hope at least! I love French and I hope to learn soon, then we can speak in your language and you can teach me a few words! I also love Lucy and I'm glad that you like her so much as well, I have so much fun writing about her! Thank you so much for your support, I'm always waiting eagerly for you feedback!

 _Emilia_ – Hola! Muchas gracias por su apoyo! There's no need to apologise, see you soon!

 _Guest 1_ – Hey, thank you so much for your kind words! Reading your review melted my heart, you're lovely, thank you so much! I'm really glad to know that my story in some way helps you, but also I'm sorry for what happened! Believe me, if you friend treats you like this then she/he doesn't deserve your friendship, don't let these people let you down! You can do anything, I'm with you! Thank you for your compliments, I try my best and is always good to know that my readers enjoy how I write! I have to admit that before posting Mischief Managed I was really afraid about what people would think about my work, I spent many chapters without a single review and I almost gave up, but my will to write a good story was stronger so it didn't let me down! That's why I love when you folks review to my story, I really appreciate it, you're one of the people that make it worth! I understand your worries but hey, trust yourself! I would love to read your stories and I'm honored that you want me to do it, please send it to me if you feel comfortable, I'm here for you!

Fondly, Binki

 _Guest 2_ – Hello, thank you so much! Chapter 21 is here, I hope you enjoy it!

 _Guest 3_ – New chapter is here! Hope you like it! Thank you so much for your review!

 _Momo_ – Hey, I hope it doesn't take you too long to see that I update the story, Chapter 21 is here and I hope you like it! I think that Teddy has so much love for the Weasley family that even though he is older than the others he still value their opinions, I love to write about their relationship, I hope you like how I portray as well! Thank you for your review, Momo!

With love,

 _Binki_


	22. Tick Of Time

**Disclaimer:** I own nothing, even though I wish I did, but I'm positive that then the Wizarding World wouldn't be as brilliant as Jo did!

* * *

 **HAPPY 20TH BIRTHDAY TO THE HARRY POTTER BOOK SERIES!**

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twenty-Two – Tick Of Time**

Many times I've wondered where we go when our minds simply turn off, like when we pass out or die. Do we reach another world parallel to ours where all the dead are still alive? Or do we just have some kind of illusion that makes us have the impression we are somewhere else when actually it's just everything all black? Or do we remember all the eventful things in our life quickly so we can question ourselves if it's worthy to get back to life?

Whatever the answer is, I'll never know, because just by the smell of my Nana's lemon pie I opened one eye to check if I had been brought to heaven or not.

Merlin, I had missed so much just the smell of her pie, you can imagine how much I missed eating it then.

"Is it Nana's lemon pie?" I asked with my voice husky and dry "Merlin, what happened?" I asked rhetorically but then finally looking around me.

Ella was seated by my left side, one of her plants over the small table beside me.

"To keep you company" she explained when I kept looking at the small plant, such an Ella thing to do.

Albus was on my other side looking tired and sleepless.

"I'm relieved, Merlin!" he said gazing me concerned "Do you need anything?"

"I'm fine" I guaranteed, trying to seat in the Hospital Wing's bed.

"I meditated with you, that's why" Ella told me, a tender beam on her face.

"Yeah" I agreed but had so many questions to ask.

"Rosie, spit out, I know this look on your face" Albus pointed out looking expectantly to me.

"Why are these… gifts? On my feet?" I asked looking at the amount of things on the table at the end of my bed, I could see Nana's lemon pie, two balloons, some candies from Honeydukes, books and a piece of pudding that I'm sure is from dinner's dessert "Why am I even here?" I continued, not letting Ella reply my first question "What happened to me that I'm feeling weak and disturbed?"

"It wouldn't be Rosie if she didn't make so many questions at once" Ella referred to Albus, who beamed back to her agreeing with his head.

What?

"And since when have you two got back to talking to each other?" I asked surprised and frustrated for not understanding my life right now.

Things suddenly don't make sense anymore and I feel and urge to throw up if I don't understand what's going on in three, two, one…

"Okay, firstly, indeed these are gifts, you passed out for almost two days and everybody got worried…" Albus tried to explain but of course I'm so curious that I couldn't let him finish.

"TWO DAYS?" I yelled surprised "It can't be! Today is Roxy's task then!" I kind of asked kind of said, but waiting for them just to confirm what I supposed.

"Yeah…" Ella said carefully, she knows how much it means to me to be helpful to my cousin "I'm sorry Rosie, the task is in a few minutes and you can't leave"

"Damn it…" I complained, Roxy may have needed my help, I wanted to had been able to help her.

I'm feeling like I have failed completely.

"Don't be sad, Rosie, Roxy understands" Al tried to comfort me "Now back to your questions…" but I interrupted him again because I'm a horrible person.

"Let me guess, the pudding Lysander brought me" I remarked, giggling at the obviousness.

"Who else, right?" Albus agreed with me, giggling as well and making Ella rolls her eyes.

"Leave him alone, it was very sensible of him to do it" Ella defended him, but joining us in our giggling.

"Please don't interrupt me again, Rosie" Albus asked but his tone was a bit bossy for a pleading, so I decided to let him finish just because I'm curious and not because I do what people tell me to do "So, your mum is here and she brought a pie from Nana because the whole family wanted to see you so it's symbolic"

"James and Fred gave you the balloons, they are my favourites, if you take a look, the red one has the faces of everyone who came to visit you, the golden one has the kind words they said while they were here written" Ella explained excited to me, taking a bite of Nana's pie.

Okay, I let her have a slice because she's my best friend.

"Well, I'll have a look later if someone is missing" I joked, earning a tender glance from Al and Ella.

"The candies and books are from the rest" Albus completed, earning an unsatisfied look from me "Right, 'specify'" he mimicked my voice already knowing how I am "The rest would be Dom and Louis, Lucy and Molls, Lily, Effie, Hugo, Roxy and Liam"

"Thank you, Al" I muttered.

"Perhaps it was a good knockout for her, she came back polite" Albus remarked to Ella as if I wasn't in the room.

"Al!" she scolded him, giggling a bit too much for my taste, she's supposed to have my back not laugh at Al's lame jokes about me.

What a traitor.

"How nice of them" I muttered really admired by their gesture.

"Told you" Al muttered to Ella.

"She's polite in her normal state as well" Ella protested, but her tone of voice always kind.

Merlin, how are we even best friends? I would probably tell Albus to sod off.

"Right, secondly" Albus continued "You are ill, just some flu, but you turned off for almost two days because you were really stressed out and had an acute gastritis"

"That's because you eat way too much, your stomach just can't deal with the amount of food a person of your size consumes" Ella mocked me, making me roll my eyes at her silliness.

"And thirdly?" I asked them "I haven't forgotten my final question"

"Merlin…" Albus complained, getting crimson and not looking at me.

"Rosie, we got so scared after watching you pass out at the Great Hall…" Ella muttered, her eyes wide of fear remembering the scene.

Merlin, it could have happened in a more discreet place at least…

"And we felt guilty when Madam Clark asked if you were overloaded to get to this point of stress…" Albus muttered, shame clear in his voice.

"It's not your fault" I told them "I just have a lot of things to do and all my essays are done, I haven't been sleeping decently"

"But you're always helping everybody around you to solve their own problems…" Ella said, now placing a hand on Al's tense shoulders, rubbing for him (Ella is awesome in massage as well).

"Wait, are you two… dating?" I asked them shocked, looking at Ella's gesture "I just slept for two days, for Merlin's beard!"

"WHAT?" Al looked at me surprised "Are you insane?" he asked me a bit pissed off.

"Rosie" Ella called me, shaking her head desperately to make me stop talking "We got back to being friends" she empathized the last word.

"Oh" I exclaimed "Sorry" I can't believe I did it, things have just gotten back to normal between them and I almost ruined it.

"You've always been a big head with a big mouth anyway" Al remarked "I was just hoping perhaps you would come back less blunt"

"Al" Ella scolded him playfully.

"It's nice to see you apologised, Al" I muttered happily "Took you my life to be in risk to do so, but at least you did"

"And here starts the drama..." Al complained, but still beaming at me.

"Both of us apologised, being friends is more important than any disagreement we had" Ella said, embracing Al and then embracing me "You made us realise it, you always find a way to bring people around you together"

"Oh, please" I tried to not let my ears turn red but I just couldn't help myself, it's totally a Weasley thing "It's not like this"

"Yes, it is" Albus agreed.

"Alright, now please, tell you two are going to support Roxy" I said looking to their faces, I already know the answer before they can even reply to me just by their expressions.

They are so easy to read, unlike Malfoy.

Malfoy. Perhaps he came to visit me? Left something?

I don't know if I should expect such things from him, but I thought that we were developing some kind of relationship, perhaps... I don't know, I never know what to expect from him, actually.

"Are you insane?" this time Ella asked me "Of course not, we're staying here with you"

"Why? For Merlin's beard!" I complained "She needs your support more than I do"

"You just woke up, could you please stop thinking about the others and start thinking about you?" Al asked me.

"What? I'm egoistical, are you talking about the right person?" I tried not to mock him but seriously, I know myself, I'm self-centred.

"She's definitely insane" Ella told Al "Rosie, you have no idea how much you care for those you love" she rolled her eyes at me.

"Anyway" I wasn't in the mood to discuss "Seriously, if you want to make me happy go to watch the task, please"

Al and Ella exchanged an unsure glance.

"Really, Roxy can't have me there to cheer for her but she can have your support, be my representatives" I asked them, trying to pout like Lily but failing miserably, I just don't know how to manipulate like this.

"Fine" Al gave up quickly.

"NO!" Ella protested "Al can go then, I'll stay"

She's so bloody stubborn.

"Ella, I'm fine, I don't want to take it from you guys the chance to watch a task from the Triwizard Tournament" I tried to explain to her but that look of determination is still on her face.

Tough girl, Ella.

"I already watched the first and then I'll watch the third with you" she replied to me cleverly.

"I'm not that important" I remarked, earning an irritated glance from her "Just joking, Ella pie"

"Come on, Ella, she doesn't want us here" Al got up stretching his body "She'll want to know the gossip later and we have to be there to do so"

"No" Ella replied stubbornly.

"That's why you're Rose's best friend, even though your completely different personalities you two are a pain in the ass" Al mocked us.

"Ella, really, I don't mind, you can come back after the task is over, I know you want to watch it, you're more excited about the Tournament than me" I told her, holding her hand to reassure my words.

"Fine" she agreed getting to her feet "You're impossible" Ella rolled her eyes again, making me giggle "Come on, Al"

Just as both of them left, Madam Clark came to check on me and instruct me about the medicine I have to take for a while and the right time to do so.

"Thank you, Madam Clark"

"Now you should rest, Miss Weasley" she informed me "And no lemon pie to you until your gastritis is healed"

"Nooo" I complained, making her chuckle before getting back to her small room.

I was completely alone at the Hospital Wing, the silence making me bored and the sunrays making the place so bright that I wanted to get away from here as soon as possible.

It had to happen with me, right? I had my whole weekend planned and then it happens, screwing up everything.

For someone so controlling like me that's like hell, I just can't take it without complaining.

"Finally you're awake" a deep voice entered the Hospital Wing, making me look to the doors to have a look to the owner "You scared the shit out of me, Weasel"

'Weasel', interesting that it's the last thing I remember before I passed out.

"Missed me, Malfoy?" I teased him, making him snort.

"Hardly" he told me, but his eyes didn't seem to say the same "How are you?" he asked, his tone more serious and is it worry that I could sense in his voice?

"Apparently with a gastritis and flu, but fine" I replied, watching as Malfoy took a seat where Albus had been by my side "I mean, I lost the chance to help Roxy with her map and now to watch her in the second task, also I couldn't attend the afternoon tea I had planned with my mum and Hugo in Hogsmeade, and now not only I can't eat my Nana's lemon pie from heaven as MERLIN'S BEARD WHAT ABOUT YOU-KNOW-WHO AND KEEP A LOOK ON HER DURING THE TASK?"

"Merlin's balls, Weasel" Malfoy scolded me "You complain too much for someone who just got awake and you came back as loud as James"

"Don't mock me, Malfoy! It's important" I said sadly, looking at my Quidditch socks where quaffles and a golden snitch keep moving around.

"Right now what really matters is that you need to get better" Malfoy said slowly.

I looked surprised at him, I never expected any kind of concern of him towards me.

We've always been too physical with each other, I never thought I would have him by my side in a moment like this, non-physical, if you know what I mean.

"And next weekend we'll go to Hogsmeade to investigate her, so don't worry" he told me, getting a piece of my pie.

"HEY!" I complained "Leave my lemon pie alone! Why is everybody even eating my food?"

"Because you don't have your wand with you so we don't fear you anymore" Malfoy retorted "I never feared you by the way, and it's awesome as always" he referred to the pie, making me nervous.

"Of course it is, ferret! It's my Nana's lemon pie!"

"True!" he agreed.

"I can't believe I'll lose another opportunity to spend a nice day in Hogsmeade to look up for Heather and that stupid book she carries around the Castle" I feel so miserable right now.

"You need to calm down, Weasel" Malfoy muttered "You sound tense"

"I am" I agreed, crossing my arms at the unfairness of life.

Malfoy started to giggle, looking at me while not being able to restrain his ferret chuckles.

"What?" I asked him, feeling the smirk on my face just by watching him.

I like when he's so carefree like this around me, not keeping his emotionless facade.

"You try to look angry and intimidating but you look like a ginger pygmy puff" he said, a spontaneous smirk on his face.

"Malfoy!" I scolded him while giggling "Give me some pie"

"Are you insane?"

"Why is everybody asking me this?"

"Because you are"

I just rolled my eyes, I could argue with him about it but he's actually being really nice to me, I also don't want to stress out anymore, this week had been too much for me already.

"Right" I said "Update the gossip to me"

"What?" he asked me looking weirdly to me "I'm not Dominique or Effie, if you still haven't realised it"

"Sod off" I told him "Seriously, what happened while I was gone?"

"Don't you think you're being dramatic? It's been just two days" Malfoy stretched out his legs and placed his feet on my bed.

I tried to take them off but well, he's strong and I'm ill, not fair.

"It was enough for Ella and Al to get back to being friends, we've been trying to do it for a while, genious" I mocked him, earning an irritated glance for him.

"You're so annoying" he complained "But no, besides Ella and Al finally having the talk we've longed for, no one else had an epiphany moment after you passed out, if that's what you mean"

I had to laugh at his choice of words, sometimes Malfoy has an acid humour like... Me.

Yeah, I can't believe I said it either.

"I heard you calling me, you know" I muttered, not looking at him, but pretending to be reading my balloon with the messages "Before I passed out"

There was a pause, and I could hear my heartbeat getting faster. Why, I don't know. But Merlin, I brought this up before I could restrain myself.

"You scared me Weasel, enemies or not, you're still my Potions and DADA partner" he said nonchalantly.

"We've already finished our Potions project, and DADA there's no work together" I remembered him.

"What's your point?" Malfoy looked at me now, his eyes piercing mine.

Why does he always have to look at me like this?

"You could take all the glory but you're here calling me your partner" I moved my eyebrows to mock him.

"I'm just stating a fact" he replied.

"Sure" I agreed, chuckling at his manners.

"Now, go to sleep" he ordered me.

"Don't tell what to do, ferret" I said stubbornly "And I have already slept way too much"

"Weasel complaining about sleeping?" he teased me.

"Sod off"

"Where are your manners, Weasley?"

"At the same place where..."

"Miss Weasley" Madam Clark appeared "I'm afraid Mr. Malfoy is right, you should rest so you can leave tomorrow"

"Fine" I replied, all I want is to leave as soon as possible "You can go watch the task, Malfoy"

"No, thank you" he replied while reading one of the books someone kindly left to me.

"What?" I asked him confused.

"I won't let you here alone" Malfoy replied, no hesitation in his voice but I wish I could see his face hidden behind the book.

I stayed quiet, not believing Malfoy was the one saying it to me. From all people, I supposed he wouldn't care.

But deep down I know I wished he would.

"Next time I'll pass out as well then everybody gives me nice gifts while I sleep" he mocked me.

"Warn me then" I told him, laying comfortably in my bed "I'll bring you a ginger pygmy puff"

I could feel my eyes closing as suddenly I felt so tired although I hadn't done anything in two days.

Merlin, I'm so useless.

Before I completely drifted away in my sleep, I heard a chuckle beside me.

"I already have one" Malfoy said surprisingly not in his usual arrogant tone of voice, but a tender one, placing a kiss in my forehead as everything went dark again.

When our relationship got beyond physical?

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hey there, folks!

I'm actually disappointed with the lack of feedback from last chapter…

Anyway, I hope to get more reviews for this one!

Thank you so much to my faithful reader _missfizwizbiz_ , merci beaucoup is not enough for your support!

Please let me know what you my readers think about this chapter!

Without further ado,

 _Binki_


	23. Beneath The Skin

**Disclaimer:** As usual, I own nothing!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twenty-Three – Beneath The Skin**

I had forgotten how it was to be ill, all the endless laziness, the medicine that has to be taken at the exact right time, the feeling of being weak and the lack of appetite. If that's not hell then I don't know what it is. Seriously, these are the times when I value being health and normal and having a typical day. I miss not being ill, it's been almost three days already and I just can't stand being like this anymore.

Today is Monday, October 31st.

As I've said before, I have mixed feelings about October 31st. While we have a really cool Halloween party here in Hogwarts, also that's the day Lily and James Potter were murdered by Lord Voldemort, leaving my uncle Harry an orphan.

This day has always been tough for him and for his friends and family. For James, Lily and Albus it's even worse because although they want to enjoy the party at night, they feel guilty to have so much fun at the anniversary of their grandparents' death. It's always hard for them, so usually they spend the morning together, in a respectful and silent mourn. I think that's the only day in the year that James doesn't bother Al and both of them don't bother Lily, it's the day that they really get united as siblings.

We as their family try to support them as much as we can, but I feel my heart aching because I don't know if that's enough. I wish I could take their pain away or at least share with them so they don't feel so sad.

That's what family is for, right?

So it's no wonder that when I woke up on Monday morning I felt tears in my eyes as my whole family, even the Potters, were there waiting for me.

All of them were here, Fred and Amelie, Roxy and Liam, James and even Violet, Harper and Dom, Louis, Hugo and Effie, Lily and Lorcan, Molly and Lucy and Frank, Alice, Lysander, Albus, Ella and Malfoy.

"What the bloody hell?" I asked them to not let them see what I' really feeling: emotion and gratitude.

Because let's face it, I'm the Granger-Weasley tough girl.

"Don't play tough" Albus scolded me "We're here to take you back to where you belong, with us at the Gryffindor table"

"Although he's Slytherin" James pointed out, earning an elbow on his ribs from his brother and the giggles of everyone.

"I think we should go out, Madam Clark is getting mad with so many people in the Hospital Wing" Roxy told us.

As I looked at her I noticed a scar on her neck and a purple cheek.

"WHAT HAPPENED?" I asked her desperately.

That's when I remembered that yesterday was her second task, and unfortunately not only I wasn't able to help her as I didn't watch and even slept during the rest of Sunday after Malfoy came to visit me.

This reminds me that I need to have a look at my balloons given to me by Fred and James and feel loved with all the faces that came to visit me and their kind messages.

Damn, why am I feeling so emotional today?

"Oh, long story" Roxy muttered.

"I'm hungry and you must be too, so come on, let's take breakfast" Lily gave me her hand to help me get to my feet.

"Lils, you, James and Al don't have to..." I was telling her, referring to the fact that today is October 31st, but of course stubborn Lily Luna Potter had to interrupt me.

"Rosie, we're family..." Lily remarked.

"We're here for each other" Dom finished Lily's sentence.

"I'll take Rosie's gifts to our bedroom back at the Gryffindor Tower" Ella notified us firmly "I'll meet you at the Great Hall"

"I'll help you" Albus said, earning a feel chuckles from our family.

"Of course he will" Fred mocked, muttering to James loud enough for me to hear them.

"I need to take a bath" I admitted after rolling my eyes at their foolishness.

Ella and Al's relationship has very clear and established boundaries, they are fine as friends and actually I'm really glad that they are back to being like they were before.

"We noticed, darling" Lucy told me "But you have to eat something first"

"I don't know if I can, I have acute gastritis" I told them, and nobody seemed surprised.

"We know it, we've been here many times already" Violet said clearly pissed off, her tone of voice really unpleasant to my ears.

"Who brought her here?" I asked rhetorically, making my whole family chuckle "She's stressing me out again"

"James, let's go" Violet commanded.

Their relationship is clearly abusive and awkward.

James seems to like her much more and in a way that I'm not sure if his feelings are reciprocated, she's way too bossy and doesn't respect him as a person with his own business and choices, she also is very unpleasant to those around him that she doesn't like (which are the majority of his social circle) and she knows very well how to manipulate him because apparently James is blinded by his feelings for her.

"Sorry, Violet" James said sincerely "But today is family day" he turned his back to her, trying to beam reassuringly to me but clearly failing with his attempt.

He seems so sad.

Violet just rolled her eyes and stayed at her place beside him, muttering something in his ears making him embrace her tightly.

Really, the most awful couple in Hogwarts.

Why Violet acts like a bitch but then retracts when surprisingly James doesn't act how she wants is beyond my comprehension.

"Madam Clark told all of us what you can eat so we keep an eye on you" Hugo said.

"Great, everybody telling me what to do" I said sarcastically.

"I adore grumpy Rosie" Molly told us happily.

Merlin, my cousins are a bunch of lunatics.

Malfoy chuckled discreetly, but not enough for me not to notice. I bet he remembered when he called me 'ginger pygmy puff' yesterday, and even I chuckled with the memory.

"Come on" Roxy ordered "Time for a Weasley breakfast"

After Ella and Albus left with all my gifts, Lily and Dom helped me to get out of bed and change my clothes as everybody waited outside.

Once I was ready to leave, I got all my medicine and thanked Madam Clark for her attention and care with me.

Every time the whole family walk together we look like a parade. And a diversified one, you can see jet black heads, brunettes, blonde (platinum or strawberry), red heads (gingers or auburn and deep red); tall, very tall or short and very short; loud and quiet. We're the Weasley Parade.

"Where are mum and dad?" I asked Hugo as all of us walked together towards the Great Hall.

The Hogwarts' students are already used to seeing all of us walking together, but as we approached the Great Hall the foreigners from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang gave us an odd look.

As if we were the foreigners.

"They spent the whole Saturday by your side at the Hospital Wing, but dad had to get back to work and mum had to be at the task, anyway, they left you a letter" Hugo told me, embracing me tightly by his side "I already left at your bedroom, don't worry" he kissed my forehead before getting his attention back to Effie.

Oh Merlin, they are walking together way too much, it pisses me off. But Hugo can take care of himself and also I can't stand more stress.

We entered the Great Hall, my stomach already making noise at the vision of all the food on the Gryffindor table. Ironically, at the same time I heard my stomach noises eager to eat all that food, I could feel the pain from my gastritis stopping me from doing so.

Merlin, it's like having a devil and an angel inside your belly making you so confused that you rather get back to sleep.

Although you already have slept for two days in a row.

Pathetic, right?

"Here" Dom handed me a plate with toasts and a mug with tea "You shouldn't eat fast, do it peacefully"

"Also, no alcohol, coffee or citrus fruits for you for a week" Lily told me slowly.

"And most importantly for someone like you" Roxy said "Get back slowly to the way you used to eat"

"Hey!" I protested "Someone like me?"

"You know what we mean" Hugo rolled his eyes at me.

"Someone who eats like a troll" Malfoy said in a informative tone of voice.

"Or like if had a bunch of worm in their belly" Lucy mocked me.

"Sod off" I told them, throwing a napkin on Malfoy and Lucy's faces "Thank you, family"

They just beamed at me, all of them looking relieved. Even Malfoy.

"Alright" I told them "I'm fine, now breathe"

"Thank you, Merlin" James muttered.

"You scared us" Fred agreed.

"Even Scorpius got scared" Dom said surprised, looking at him awkwardly.

"What?" he asked them, curiously he was seated in front of me, just watching quietly my loud family giving me commands.

The only ones I would accept because concerns my health.

"Just because we're enemies doesn't mean I wouldn't get a little bit worried after watching Weasel faint like a smashed potato" he said firmly, not looking to me.

Merlin, he lies very well. I remember the gentle kiss he placed in my forehead yesterday before I got back to sleep.

Anyway, not the time to think about what it means.

"HEY!" I protested again "I'm not a smashed potato"

"Eat peacefully, Rosie" Lily reminded me gently, rubbing my hand with hers.

She's so lovely.

"So take him out of here" I said pouting, pretending to be upset and failing miserably.

"We can't" Dom smirked mischievously "He's Al's boyfriend"

Malfoy choked on his eggs as Dom said this, having James' help as he slapped his back.

"Nice one, Dom" James complimented her as he chuckled while helping Malfoy.

"And old, as well" Fred scolded her, making Dom stick out her tongue towards him.

"Manners, Dominique" Louis mocked his sister "Maman is not here but I am"

"Sod off, Louis" Dom rolled her eyes "Go back to drooling over Effie"

Damn it, Dom knows how to be mean.

I noticed as Louis gulped uncomfortably, glancing at and Effie paying attention only to my brother.

What does she sees in younger boys I will never know.

"You guys have a dialogue of a bunch of five years old" Ella pointed out, taking a seat by my side while Al dropped on the bench beside an emotionless Malfoy.

His facade is back.

"Took you six years to notice it?" I asked Ella incredulously.

"I'm a bit lazy" she admitted.

"And blind" Albus said.

"And deaf" Malfoy finished.

"HEY!" Ella protested this time, looking at me for support.

"Sorry, but you are" I told her.

Ella rolled her eyes, taking a sip of her pumpkin juice.

"Anyway" I called everybody's attention "Roxy, what happened to you?" I asked concerned.

She glanced around uncomfortable, Amelie by her side giving her a supportive look as Liam embraced her protectively. Even James and Fred got serious and I felt the air at the table getting tense.

"I was attacked" she told me carefully "Please don't freak out"

"WHAT?" I asked, choking on my food and taking a sip on my tea.

"Yeah" Amelie muttered carefully, looking around suspiciously "We were at the Forbidden Forest for the second task"

"Wasn't the forest supposed to be forbidden?" I asked confused. Mum knows about it? Who had the bloody idea?

"They are Triwizard Champions, Rosie" James said "Don't underestimate them"

"That's not the point" I informed him irritated.

"Rosie, it's okay..." Roxy tried to comfort me.

"Now" Fred said grumpily.

Damn, I'm being so selfish. Roxy is the one who was attacked, she shouldn't be comforting me.

I know that I'm self-centred. But that's not the time.

"No, it's not" Liam seemed so angry and pissed off, Roxy was comforting him as well.

I rolled my eyes, she is the one that should be being comforted.

"Anyway" Roxy got back to explaining to me about the task "We were supposed to use that map that we got from the first task to direct us at the Forbidden Forest"

"I never thought we could go so deep inside" Amelie said.

"But it wasn't a usual map, right?" I asked her. I remembered that Roxy showed me the map and it didn't look like the others.

"That's the cool thing about it" Roxy muttered "It was a map of the night sky"

"What?" I asked even more confused this time "But how could you guide yourself through the stars if the task happened in the afternoon?"

"That's the point" Amelie told me "It just helped us to get out of the Forest as the task took hours, not to get in and find the next clue to the final task"

"Well" I looked astonished "That's brilliant"

"But I thought exactly how this map could be useful if the task was during afternoon" Roxy explained to me "So on Saturday night I went to the Astronomy Tower, with Professor Mars permission, of course" this time I noticed as everybody looked ashamed, every Hogwarts' student had been once at the Astronomy Tower without the Professor's permission to do other things rather than look at the night sky, even I had done it before "And draw my own map to know where I am at the Forest even by day"

"That's brilliant" I said again, astonished by Roxy's cleverness.

"Why are you surprised?" Fred asked me "After you she's the most intelligent of the family"

I rolled my eyes at him, typical Fred.

"That's why I thought she should have won the task" Amelie said upset.

"What happened then?" I asked Roxy, I'm so curious that I could feel my stomach in pain again.

"Don't get anxious or you're going to rip your stomach again!" Ella told me worried.

"Spit it out, Roxanne" Dom demanded almost desperate.

Merlin, my family and friend are lunatics, for sure.

"I got at the further north of the Forbidden Forest, it was very dark and disturbingly silent after so many strange animals and magical creatures that I had to deal with" Roxy muttered looking around us carefully "I knew I was near where we were supposed to, and as I reached the torch with the Hogwarts' escutcheon I was attacked from behind by someone, all I felt was a burning sensation on my neck and then I fell on my face at the ground"

I felt a bitter taste in my mouth, not believing in what I was listening to.

I looked around seeing all my family and friends' scared faces, looking firmly to Malfoy and seeing determination is his eyes.

We need to hurry with our investigation about Heather, if she's involved the next attack could be avoided. Being the last task, the last attack could be fatal.

Just by thinking about it I felt shivers going down my spine.

What the bloody hell is going on?

"Then, I woke up to Amelie and Stan coming to my rescue" Roxy said "We got our torches and sparked red lights with our wands"

"Some professors and the Minister for Magic, that I've just discovered that is Fred's aunt, came to us and the task was over" Amelie told me.

"You're talking to the Minister for Magic's daughter" Fred informed Amelie, making her display a look of surprise on her face.

"You are one of the best Quidditch players in the Wizarding World, not me, I am the one who should be looking like this at you" I mocked her, earning a funny chuckle from Amelie and my family "So, how things ended then?"

"The three of us got tied" Amelie said upset, she clearly doesn't agree with it.

"And you're mum suspended the Tournament while we don't find the responsible for the attacks" Roxy told me.

"She doesn't want to risk our lives and also it's very clear that my attack and Roxy's are related" Amelie said.

"Sure, mum is doing right" I agreed.

"The question is" Malfoy muttered, looking at me "Who is attacking the Triwizard Champions and why?"

And for a coincidence of destiny, maybe karma or perhaps the Gods above whoever they might be, a sleepy Heather Nott passed behind Malfoy, dropping from her opened bag on her rush to the first class the mysterious book that she takes all the time with her but never opens in class.

Before anyone could notice, I whispered "Accio, book" and it came directly to my hands under the Gryffindor table.

I smirked victoriously at Malfoy and he looked at me confused, probably wondering if I am the most lunatic out of all my family members.

* * *

Although my eagerness to show Malfoy what I just had got, all of us Sixth Year students had to rush to our first class of Monday, Potions. With Slytherin.

As Ella, me, Dom, Effie, Albus and Malfoy hurried to the dungeons, I almost fainted when I remembered the main detail that I was missing.

"Malfoy" I called him calmly but feeling myself getting nervous "Where are our potions? We are supposed to show them today to Professor Finnigan"

"Relax, Weasel" he told me nonchalantly "Or your stomach is going to get ripped again"

"Why everybody has to make comments about my stomach?" I asked rhetorically.

"They are here" Malfoy showed me his bag, and I could notice that he uses the same Extension Charm mum taught me as two cauldrons and many books could be seen inside his bag.

"Nice charm" I complimented before I could restrain myself.

"Thanks, sick head" he chuckled.

Be patient Rosie, be patient, it's all I could say to preserve my stomach.

When we arrived at the Potions classroom, it was already filled with the other students from Gryffindor and Slytherin and Professor Finnigan was already in front of the class.

"Weasleys, I was wondering whether you were coming" he said kindly.

He's one of my parents' friends, it's a bit awkward to call him professor when we grew up calling him Seamus or uncle Seamus.

"Rosie would never lose her reward for most perfect potions" Effie pointed out loud, making everybody giggle.

Nice, the entire class is making fun of me. Can I yell 'sod off' to all of them?

"Control yourself, ginger pygmy puff" Malfoy muttered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine due to his closeness.

I rolled my eyes at him as we took our usual seat.

"Now that everybody is here" Professor Finnigan started the class "I'm going at every table to see how are the Amortentia and Veritaserum I asked the pairs to make, you had two months and it's more than enough time to brew both of them"

"Just if you're partner is Rose or Scorpius" Dom muttered upset from behind me.

I chuckled discreetly, I don't know how Dom achieved her O.W.L. in Potions, she loathes the subject and wants to become a Quidditch player just like Amelie, aunt Ginny and aunt Angelina.

I hope she keeps the tradition because although I love playing Quidditch I'm sure I won't be a professional Quidditch player.

I noticed as Professor stopped firstly at Heather and Emma's table, their cauldron's emitting a strange smoke and their faces were disgusted towards each other. Poor Emma.

"Malfoy" I called him.

"What?" he looked at me after placing our cauldron's above our table.

They looked perfect, exactly how they should be.

"I need to tell you something" I muttered to him, getting closer.

"Weasel" he scolded me playfully, an arrogant smirk on his face.

I already know what he's going to say.

"Not the appropriate time to snog me although I know you don't have self-control around me" he mocked, chuckling at my disgusted expression.

I think I faked it very well, indeed, deeply inside, I know that I miss snogging him.

"Oh please" I dismissed him "Both of us know that you're in love with me, not the other way round" I mocked.

"What?" his voice asked me abruptly, his face suddenly uncomfortable.

"Gee, relax, Malfoy" I told him, not understanding his reaction.

I sincerely thought he would say that I am in love with him because every girl he snogs has the same reaction.

But no, here he is acting strangely.

"Spit it out" he changed the subject, looking around and regaining his composure.

"Meet me before lunch in the Room of Requirement" I told him, chuckling at his disappointed face.

"Really?" he asked me upset "That's low even for you Weasel"

"For making you wait a few hours until I tell you a big secret?" I asked him sarcastically "Don't think so"

"Just try not to rip my clothes if we're going to stay alone" he mocked me again, smirking spontaneously and making me stop a bit to admire him.

Damn it, I need to stop doing this.

He's not that handsome to make me look at him with admiration.

' _You know he is'_ my consciousness said ' _It's been a long time, I know, you have been behaving well enough so I can leave you by yourself'_

Great, I'm getting mad, I am complimenting myself.

"Are you going to the Halloween party tonight?" Malfoy asked me suddenly while reading one of his Potions' books.

At least it seems like he's reading.

"Of course" I told him "I wouldn't miss the marvellous feast"

He looked at me from his side eye, chuckling at my words.

"Oh, and the party and social interaction with students wearing weird costumes and dancing like if they knew how to do it, of course" I finished, making him laugh even more.

It's quite a nice tune to listen to.

What am I saying? Merlin!

"What about you?" I asked him.

"Same" he simply replied.

I don't know why but he's been acting so weirdly, like if he wants to tell me something but rather not.

"BLOODY HELL" I suddenly yelled, earning a feel glances from my colleagues.

"Merlin, Weasel" Malfoy complained "I said that you came back as loud as James"

"Shut up, ferret" I scolded him "I don't have a costume"

"Really?" he asked me "That's what all the fuss is about?"

"It's a Halloween bloody party!" I tried to explain to him "I can't go wearing my usual clothes"

"You could go as Hermione Granger" I heard Dom say giggling behind me.

I rolled my eyes at her.

"Old joke, Dom"

"It would be so funny!" Dom said happily "Al, come here!"

"What?" he asked her pissed off, his clothes already dirty.

"What happened to you, mate?" Malfoy asked Al a bit worried.

"Al is like a Potions' master but I am terrible and I did something wrong with our Veritaserum" Ella was telling us desperate "I don't even know how I achieved my OWL"

"Me neither" Dom agreed "Al, what about you go tonight in a Harry Potter costume, Rosie as Hermione Granger and Scorpius as Draco Malfoy?" she asked us looking expectantly "It would be hilarious!"

"Seriously, Dominique?" Albus asked her impatiently.

Before he could say anything else, he got back to his table looking upset.

"I'm a mess in Potions, Rosie" Ella told me, looking upset by seeing Al sad beside their Potions "And I disappointed Albus"

"Meditate and everything will be alright" I told Ella trying to calm her.

"You're right" she said like if she just had an epiphany "I'm glad that now you recognise the power of meditation"

"You don't' recognise it, right?" Malfoy asked me while we watched Ella get back to her table.

"Actually no, but you can't tell her"

"Sure" he rolled his eyes.

Incredible how we haven't fight for a time now, or how the air doesn't get tense anymore between us. It's like we were friends. With benefits.

It's complicated. This whole Weasley and Malfoy thing makes things harder.

Perhaps with we weren't who we are things could be easier for both of us, not that I am hypothetically considering to cross our current boundary of friends with benefits.

"Well, well" I heard Professor's Finnigan voice approaching our table, taking me back to Earth "Let's see what we have here"

"Good morning, Professor" I greeted him politely.

"We hope they are exactly how they should be" Malfoy said politely as well.

This is something I can't criticise Malfoy, he has manners.

"I hope too" Professor Finnigan admitted in a low tone of voice "The other potions are terrible, if not both at least one is impossible to call a potion"

He analysed our cauldrons, taking notes of colour, texture and smell as I noticed after having a look of his papers without him noticing.

"Please, I want both of you to tell me which scent do you smell from both potions" Professor Finnigan required us "Miss Weasley first"

I got surprised by his request, I wasn't expecting.

"Well" I said as I neared our Veritaserum, clear as water "As it's supposed to be, this one doesn't have a smell"

"Very well pointed out, did you listen to Miss Weasley, Miss Richards?" he asked Ella who had a sad expression on her face.

When Ella and Albus weren't friends anymore they had just finished their Amortentia, and since they weren't talking anymore Ella carried on with the project alone because Al also forgot about it. They became friends again this weekend, so really there wasn't enough time to make another Veritaserum again.

"Now" I said smelling the scent coming out from our Amortentia "I smell..." it took me a time to realise what I could sense with my nostrils, but when I did it hit me hard on my guts "Lemon pie, old books, fresh summer air and... Fancy perfume"

WHAT THE BLOODY HELL! Why do I smell... Malfoy? And the lemon pie, he was eating it yesterday and it's such a good memory...

I tried to keep a facade so he doesn't notice my scared face, but I don't know if I managed to do it. I could feel Malfoy's eyes on me, piercing me, but I just couldn't look at his face or I would betray myself.

Why did I smell him? Out of so many people and things that I find attractive? Actually my question is really dumb, we've been snogging for almost two months, our relationship is purely physical and I've been enjoying very much. Wouldn't be obvious to feel his scent and find it so fascinating? I just wonder if he smells whatever my scent may be, or something that reminds him of me.

"Interesting, Miss Weasley" Professor Finnigan said, taking notes "Now, Mr. Malfoy, if you could please..."

"I smell..." he said, closing his eyes as the aroma filled his nostrils "Washed duvet, woody furniture and... red ro- I mean, flowers"

I noticed how his neck turned slightly crimson, but even this he apparently manages to control. Malfoy's self control is absurd, seriously.

"Very well" Professor Finnigan looked at us beaming broadly "I think we have a winner" he said as he walked back to the front of the class "It's Miss Granger-Weasley and Mr. Malfoy"

"NOT FAIR!" Dom yelled as Albus said something and Effie agreed with them.

"Miss Weasley" Professor Finnigan tried to scold her but his chuckles didn't let it sound serious "Come here, partners" he called Malfoy and I.

Merlin, couldn't he just talk with us from where we are seated?

I walked to the front of the class with Malfoy by my side, as we stood there beside Professor Finnigan I noticed as some girls were eyeing Malfoy in not a discreet way. I don't know why it pissed me off a little bit, but it did.

"Now, here is your reward for making the best Veritaserum and Amortentia, a weekend at the Leaky Cauldron where you can explore the Muggle London and the Diagon Alley!" Professor Finnigan said excitedly "Courtesy of the landlady Hannah Abbott!"

Well, that's uncle Neville and aunt Hannah's pub and inn in Charing Cross Road. I've been there many times, but not by myself to spend a weekend. With Malfoy.

Professor Finnigan started the applause and the other students followed for respect, I bet that they wanted this weekend much more than I do.

"If only I knew"

"I would have put more effort if I knew the reward would be this"

"Lucky bastards"

These were the things I heard from my classmates.

I looked to Malfoy and we exchanged an odd glance.

What is going on now?

"Seriously?" I heard Dom asking to Effie "It would look like a honeymoon trip if the pair weren't Rose and Scorpius"

Merlin, someone has to shut her big mouth, I could feel my ears and neck getting crimson already.

As the class ended up, I thanked Professor Finnigan, got my bag and walked out of the class as fast as I could, leaving without looking behind me to my Ancient Runes class with Ravenclaw.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, folks!

I hope you like Chapter 23, please leave your review because after such a hard work it really means a lot to me your feedback.

A special thank you to:

 _missfizwizbiz_ – Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts about my story with me, I always get happy when I read your reviews! I'm so glad that you enjoy my plot and characters! I'm always worried about how to develop their personalities and Scorpius is one of the hardest, I'm so happy to know that you like him so much! It means a lot to me, thank you so much my faithful reader! Also thank you for teaching me some French! As you taught me: _Passe une bonne journée_ _!_

 _jlpelton1_ – Hey, thank you so much for your review! I'm really glad that you like my Scorpius, it's really interesting to me to write about his personality and I hope you like how I'm developing his relationship with Rosie!

 _Emilia_ – Thank you, Emilia! I'm glad that you like my Scorpius, it means a lot!

With love,

 _Binki_


	24. The Theory of Karma

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, just the plot!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twenty-Four – The Theory of Karma**

Sometimes I wonder what is wrong with me, apparently I always seem to attract karma, I feel like I am full of karma, my life is a karma. Because right after I ran away quickly after Potions' class when I found out that I had won a short trip to Diagon Alley with Malfoy, and my Ancient Runes' class with Ravenclaw, I remembered that I told Malfoy himself to meet me at the Room of Requirement before lunch.

I'm not an idiot and I won't lie to myself, my purpose was purely to show him that I had gotten Heather's mysterious book in a clever and simple way without having to sneak around the girl's lavatory as he wanted me to; after all I'm still ill and is very gross to think about snogging someone when you are like this. But also, I miss being around him, privately, when I don't have to pretend that nothing changed and that we're still enemies like we used to.

Because the truth is that a lot has changed, we developed some sort of friendship with the benefits of making out without having a serious commitment. And today I smelled his scent while inhaling Amortentia. There's nothing ordinary here, I may not know what's really going on, but magic doesn't lie. Actually it usually doesn't. I'm not stupid, we smell the scent of the things that we feel most attracted to.

Obviously, if we have been making out for the last two months, I shouldn't be surprised that I feel attracted to him. Our relationship is purely physical, so of course I am attracted to him or otherwise we wouldn't still be snogging every night we can. But then, does it mean that he inhaled my scent as well? Why did I get so surprised after all? Why inhaling his scent left me so astonished and confused?

I think I know why.

Last year I had this sort of relationship with John Rhodes, a boy one year older than me from Ravenclaw. When I visited the Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes in Hogsmeade with him and approached the Amortentia fountain in the corner of the store I didn't smell his scent and sincerely, I don't even remember how it was like.

To me our relationship was just physical, but John got really attached to me in two months, he smelled my scent. 'Red roses' he said, and later that day he asked me to be his girlfriend. I remembered that I felt numb for a minute and then blurted a short 'No, thank you'. If I hadn't got numb I would have replied him with a proper sentence, more sensible and less indifferent.

Perhaps that's why I got so scared when I smelled Malfoy's scent. It had never happened before, even when I had been in a similar previous situation. The memory came back quickly in my mind, how could I have smelled Malfoy's scent if I don't have feelings for him? And why I smelled his scent when I didn't smell John's?

 _'Are you sure?'_

Merlin, please no! Not my obnoxious consciousness coming back to disturb me with its arrogant attitude and know-it-all personality. It's worse than me.

 _'I wouldn't be so sure if I were really you'_

It doesn't even make sense but who am I to say anything?

 _'You've always said to yourself that whatever it is he makes you feel something'_

Damn it! Indeed I do say it sometimes, am I being betrayed by myself? How crazy is that? I'm probably getting mad, for Merlin's beard!

But I'm not that mad, indeed he makes me feel... Something. I don't know what. And sincerely, I don't think I want to know what he makes me feel. I'm not ready for it. Of course, he makes me feel attracted to him, but what else? Because I also felt attracted to John when the incident happened and I still didn't smell his scent, but he did. Also, we're fine the way we currently are, at least before Potions' class we were really fine.

Why things always need to get so complicated to me?

Karma, as I've said before, that's the only possible reason, I can't see another one.

"Weasel" his voice called me.

I turned around to face him, his expression not the usual arrogant one, but cautious.

At least he's not stupid to not have noticed that things aren't as they used to be anymore.

But if they aren't to me, and I do have a reason for it, then if for him things aren't as they used to be as well he must have a reason just like I do.

Damn it! There are so many things that I wanted to ask him, I just don't want to mess things up. Again.

"Shall we?" I asked him.

I turned to face the blank stone wall and suddenly a giant black door appeared in front of me. I opened it cautiously, gazing behind me directly into his piercing grey eyes before I stepped inside a library with comfy cushions and endless books.

"Why am I not surprised?" Malfoy asked rhetorically, a discreet smirk on his face.

I giggled lightly, taking a seat on the nearest cushion but feeling myself tense under his gaze.

An intense gaze, I need to add.

"So" he started, his eyes never leaving me "Why did you ask me to come here?"

"I got Heather's bloody mysterious book" I told him, taking the book out of my bag and placing it on my lap.

"Well" Malfoy hesitated a bit before finishing his sentence "I'm impressed"

"Obviously" I mocked him, but then I remembered about my conflicted and confused thoughts and stopped before I could join him on his giggling.

He gets more attractive when he giggles spontaneously.

Merlin, why do I have these thoughts? I never used to make such comments when I snogged other guys. Not that there were many, anyway.

But still, they weren't Scorpius bloody Malfoy.

I don't think I ever referred to him by his first name before. So weird to use another word to call him that isn't 'Malfoy'.

"Anyway" I regained my composure, ignoring the thoughts inside my mind "We don't have much time"

He agreed looking a bit uneasy, I had never seen him like this. Why is Malfoy like this is what I wanted to know but don't know how.

We're friends with benefits, more with the 'benefits' part than the 'friends' one.

"Did you wait for me so we could open it together?" Malfoy asked me, his tone not accusing or arrogant, just curious and... Touched?

"Don't take it to the wrong side, Malfoy" I scolded him firmly, although it was true, but I could never admit it to him "Ready?"

"Just do it, Weasel" he said, rolling his eyes.

I touched the leathered black cover of Heather's book, there was nothing written. But as I opened it I could read in the first page 'This diary is a property of Heather Nott'.

"A diary?" Malfoy asked rhetorically as he approached me in the cushion to have a better view of the book "How we didn't think about it before?"

"Perhaps because no one else writes a diary anymore" I said surprised.

I turned the pages cautiously, looking at the dates.

"She has written everyday of her life since her first year" I exclaimed impressed, turning the pages quickly.

"That's awful" Malfoy muttered with a scowl covering his face.

"That's private" I said feeling uncomfortable.

Privacy is something I take very seriously, invading someone's privacy, even if this person is Heather Nott, makes me feel filthy and low. It's just not right.

I feel like Rita Skeeter right now, she has always been so abusive, always invading my family's privacy. I remember cursing her so much with my words every time she wrote a ridiculous article about my life or my family's life.

"Obviously, it's a diary" Malfoy mocked me with his usual arrogant tone.

He pisses me off so much. Merlin, how can I still snog him? An actually enjoy it?

I looked to the pages in conflict. Should I read or should I return the book back to Heather?

"Weasel" Malfoy called me, his voice without the arrogant tone from a few seconds ago "I know how you feel"

"Do you?" I asked him incredulously.

"Yes, my father may not be the hero but he's the villain" Malfoy muttered, his voice low and his eyes looking firmly to me.

That's something I admire about him, he hardly ever averts his eyes when he talks to me, even if he's ashamed or in an uncomfortable position. He's kind of brave, more than a few Gryffindors that I know, which is odd.

He's a Slytherin after all.

"Anyway" he said, bringing back to the actual moment "What I mean is that my family's privacy has been exposed before and I hate it"

I sighed in relief, he indeed understands me. I never thought I would say it, but he does.

"But think with me, Weasley" he caught my attention, making me look firmly into his grey eyes "Amelie Marchand was severely injured during the first task..."

I have to agree with him, the situation is serious.

"... Then someone attacked your cousin Roxanne" he said with a stern face "It's obvious that these incidents are related and we need to discover why"

"You're right" I muttered "And Heather has been acting so strangely recently"

"First we saw her acting suspiciously in the library past curfew" Malfoy pointed out "Then she had an awkward date with Stanislav Krum, one of the Triwizard Champions, but he didn't seem to be enjoying it as much as Heather"

"I'm afraid" I admitted, but surprisingly I'm not uncomfortable to do it with Malfoy.

"Me too" he admitted as well "But you're not alone, we are not alone"

His words left me speechless. His expression is so sincere and his voice so serious and calm. Before I could restrain myself I did something I never expected myself to do.

I embraced him tightly, hiding my face in the crook of his neck, my arms around his tall and firm frame.

I noticed how astonished he got by my actions, I got too, that's why I hid my face, if his piercing grey eyes meet mine then I may do something even more stupid than just embrace him.

"Yes, we are" I muttered and felt his arms embrace me tightly as well "What about we just read what she has been writing since the beginning of sixth year?"

"Great idea" Malfoy agreed.

I left him and composed myself.

We exchanged an intense gaze before getting back to Heather's diary. I felt like he wanted to tell me something or ask me something, that he was trying to read me while thinking about what to do. And I have to say that this is what I'm doing. His expression is sincere, but I feel that it's not 100%. There's something more that he's hiding from me, just like I am doing to him.

As we read the first pages of September, I noticed how Heather was insecure about the year. Indeed, sometimes it seemed like my own thoughts or the ones that Dom shares with me. She's just like any other sixteen year old girl trying to cope with adolescence.

 _"I hope to get better grades this year, I just don't know what else to do or if I am good enough for it"_ Malfoy read aloud so I could join him in our investigation _"That's why I envy Rose Weasley and Scorpius so much, they don't seem to make an effort, they're just really good in everything they do"_

"Woah, I wasn't expecting anything like this" I muttered feeling uncomfortable.

"There's more" Malfoy told me before getting back to the book "That's when the Triwizard Tournament was announced" he handed me the diary so I could read.

 _"Stanislav is so handsome and older"_ I read aloud _"But just like the other boys he may not give me attention_ _because I'm not gorgeous enough like Dominique Weasley or funny like_ _Effie Pritchard, both annoying Gryffindors"_

"She has some self-stem problems" Malfoy pointed out surprised, but in his voice I didn't find any judgment.

Malfoy keeps impressing me positively and it scares me sometimes.

"Believe me, every girl has" I said "The pressure over us to be perfect is hypocritical and ridiculous, we're not free to be who we are"

"I know" Malfoy muttered "Boys suffer less with this kind of social pressure but in my case people always expected of me to be just like my father, his shadow"

"That sucks, right?" I asked rhetorically "My mum is wonderful but I am not her, some people forget that we have our own lives"

"Yeah" he simply replied, his eyes getting clearer each time we open up more with each other about our problems.

 _"I know I shouldn't have done it"_ I kept reading aloud _"He promised me that if I got the books from the library and hid them it would help Stan and therefore I could go on a date with him to Hogsmeade..."_

"What the bloody hell?" Malfoy exclaimed, his eyes wide with surprise.

 _"... And finally prove the other girls that always mocked me wrong by going out with a handsome, older and son of a famous Quidditch player"_ I continued reading perplexed with Heather's words _"I didn't think though that he would harm Amelie Marchand that_ way, _I'm really scared of what this man is able to do just to achieve what he wants: glory to Durmstrang"_

I was so astonished that didn't even notice when Malfoy got the diary from my hands to keep reading.

"Here, we need to read about her last days to know if she's involved in Roxy's attack" Malfoy told me, his expression so serious that left me even more afraid of what else we could find out in Heather's diary _"He told me which spell I should use to attack Roxanne Weasley, he_ _left me there, waiting for her to come, I feel horrible for what I did, but he promised me that if I did what he wanted me to he would take my grandfather_ _from Azkaban, so perhaps I shouldn't feel guilty, she's ok, I heard"_

"I can't believe it" I muttered to Malfoy, we could probably see our terrified expressions in each other's face "He took advantage of Heather's fragility so he could manipulate the Tournament so Durmstrang could win..."

"We found out who 'he' is" Malfoy remarked astonished.

"We need to talk to Headmistress McGonagall and my mum" I urged him, standing up and putting Heather's diary back in my bag "This diary is the proof we need to solve the problems"

"If Heather already noticed her diary is missing she's probably looking for it" Malfoy pointed out.

"We can't wait any longer" I muttered.

"Come on, let's go now!" Malfoy stood up beside, and we exchanged a gaze firmly before heading to the Headmistress Tower as fast as we could.

In our way we could see the students walking in the opposite direction towards the Great Hall, it's lunch time already and fortunately we still can find McGonagall in her office. There's no way I could have lunch peacefully with such an important thing inside my head.

"Black beetle bubbling in boiling butterbeer" Malfoy and I said quickly and together, making the statue in front of the stairs to her office move so we could reach the door.

Since we're prefects we have the password to access her office, but before we have to make a vow that we'll keep it a secret. Some students may be quite inconvenient, like Lysander when he invited Headmistress McGonagall for a picnic last year and a yoga lesson with Ella the year before.

Why does it seem that is always Lysander?

As we climbed up the stairs, reaching a big and wooden door, I knocked three times trying not to sound desperate but failing a bit because they sounded rushed.

"Come in" we heard McGonagall's voice telling us, but also I could hear other familiar voices coming from her office.

"Rose?" a very familiar voice called me at the same time that other said "Scorpius?"

Malfoy and I exchanged a surprised glance before looking to the voices that called us.

"Mum?" both of us said surprised and to the Headmistress' fun.

Do we really have to say the same thing at the same bloody time?

I realised that, while Headmistress McGonagall was seated behind her wooden desk, my mum, also known as the Minister for Magic, and apparently Astoria Malfoy, Malfoy's mum (obviously) and also known as the Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, were seated in front of her. They seemed to be having s serious and important chat and we just interrupted it, their children.

"What are you doing here, son?" Mrs. Malfoy asked Malfoy, her expression surprised.

"And together?" mum pointed out sounding confused, after all the last time she saw Malfoy and I together we were probably arguing and picking at each other, being together because Albus is my cousin and his best friend, not because we had a choice.

"Long story" I said a bit embarrassed.

"I think that is very good both of you are here" Malfoy took the lead as we approached the desk and took a seat beside our mothers "We found out something really important that we need to show you"

I took the diary out of my bag, handing it to my mum.

"We discovered who is behind the attacks that happened during the tasks of the Tournament" I told them firmly.

"What is this, Rose?" my mum asked me confused, opening it.

"It's a diary, Heather Nott's diary" I replied.

"She's a sixth year student from Slytherin" Malfoy explained.

"How did you get it?" Mrs. Malfoy asked both of us.

Malfoy and I told them since what happened at the library, to Heather's odd date with Stanislav Krum, our suspicions over her book and how I got it.

"Wait a minute" my mum said after we finished "Both of you were in the library past curfew with your cousin's Invisibility Cloak?" her expression was not elated as when she saw me entering the office.

"Seriously, mum?" I asked her incredulous "From all we've told you that's the only part you're concerned about?"

I heard Malfoy giggling discretely but not enough for me and his mother to not notice.

She glared him with a serious expression, like if she was scolding him.

"That's something you, as a prefect, shouldn't be doing, ma'am" my mum scolded me.

"How can you say it to your daughter, Miss Granger?" Headmistress McGonagall asked my mum, putting her half moon glasses on the tip of her nose, to look better at my mum with her piercing eyes "You, Potter and Weasley used to do it all the time, every single year"

This time I didn't restrain my giggle as I watched my mum getting crimson, even Malfoy and Mrs. Malfoy had a smirk on their faces.

"That's entirely different" my mum protested, suddenly I could see a sixteen year old Hermione Granger as a Hogwarts student having to face the school's Headmistress.

"They are also fighting against evil, and apparently both of you solved the problem" Headmistress McGonagall said, her voice full of pride.

"Tell us what you discovered in this diary" Mrs. Malfoy asked us.

"Heather herself wrote that she was receiving commands to help sabotage the Tournament, she didn't attack Amelie but tried to hide the books from the school's library with useful information for the first task" I informed them, noticing their shocked expressions.

"But she is the one who attacked Roxanne, it's all in her diary, she wrote that he told her which spell she should use and he left here where she should be in the Forbidden Forest" Malfoy said, his voice firm but restrained.

He knows too well how to restrain his emotions, my temper doesn't let me have such self control.

"I need to take it to the Ministry of Magic" my mum muttered, her face stern and worried.

"Immediately" Mrs. Malfoy agreed.

"I'm impressed that my most brilliant students finally stopped arguing like two nine year old children and now cooperate together for the well being of the whole school" Headmistress McGonagall said delighted, making me feel ashamed.

I feel sometimes that we lost so much time with arguing and picking on each other. On the other hand, some things happen when they are meant to happen, at the right time.

"Thank you, dear, Scorpius" my mum said, standing up and embracing me and beaming to Malfoy "I hope you're feeling better, your father and I left a letter to you with Hugo with a few recommendations to help you"

"He told me, but I still didn't have the chance to read it" I told her, embracing my mum tightly "But yeah, I'm better, just tired of being ill already"

"We'll take the diary and investigate it" my mum said looking to Mrs. Malfoy who just agreed with her head "Please, take very good care of yourself, you scared me" she said, combing my ginger hair tenderly.

"When you finish the investigation come talk to me so I take the legal procedures about Miss Nott" Headmistress McGonagall said to my mum.

"But who is 'he' behind this girl's actions?" Mrs. Malfoy asked her son and I.

"Kristoffer Hansen" I muttered.

"Durmstrang's Headmaster" Malfoy said.

* * *

I spent the whole afternoon feeling tense and relaxed at the same time, if that's even possible. Tense because I just wanted the mystery about the Tournament to be officially solved and the wait was consuming me and making me anxious; relaxed because now I could breathe and stop investigating and get back to my normal life again.

I dropped my body on my comfortable and warm bed, feeling a pressure over my belly as a fat cat came to me. Sartre, my adorable cat. He adores sleeping with me.

I stayed there for a while, breathing slowly and feeling the cold air filling my lungs. I could feel my body weak so finally being able to rest in my bed was a relief. If I have to be ill at least let me stay in my bed.

I opened my parents' letter, giggling when I could notice that my father made my mum write that. They left me recommendations and well wishes, just like my aunties and uncles, my grandparents Weasley and Granger. I miss all of them so bloody much that my stomach hurts.

I decided to finally have a look on my gifts that my friends gave to me while I was at the Hospital Wing. I stored the books and the sweets in my trunk, not daring to open the sweets' package due to my gastritis.

Finally, I got my red and golden balloons given to me by Fred and James. I read all the words spoken to me while I was sleep written in the golden one: get well soon, love you, you better wake up or I'll eat all the lemon pie, come back to us, wish you were here. Many others filled my heart with joy, I'm so lucky to have such friends and family by my side.

The red balloon allowed me to see everyone who came to visit and how many times they came: Ella, Albus, James, Lily, Lorcan, Lysander, Roxy, Liam, Fred, Violet, Harper, Lucy, Molly, Frank, Alice, Emma, Effie, Dom, Louis, Teddy, my parents, Headmistress McGonagall, Professor Neville and Finnigan, Hugo and Malfoy.

Surprisingly, Malfoy is the one who most came to visit me, almost tied up with Ella and Al. I couldn't believe it, though. Why did I he come so much to see me in the Hospital Wing? We're not even that close, we're just... 'Friends' with benefits.

But his expression is concerned, his eyes uncertain.

I have to admit if it had been the other way round and he had fainted and slept for two days in the Hospital Wing I would have gone to visit him many times as well, just to check if he was well. I don't know why, but I know I would be worried. Perhaps we have the same reaction. And he may also not know why.

"I just love this gift" Ella muttered as she entered our bedroom.

"Thank you for bringing my gifts here" I said.

"I'm glad you're better" she told me, taking a seat my by side and caressing Sartre behind his ears as he adores "You scared all of us"

"Everybody is telling me that" I replied, looking back to my red balloon.

"Malfoy was the most desperate though" she smirked to me.

"Really?" I asked surprised.

"Yeah, he noticed you were passing out before anyone" Ella said, opening one of my chocolate packages from Honeydukes.

"Hey!" I complained, but she just ignored me, smirking to mock me that she could eat them while I couldn't.

"Also, he was by your side so quickly that he avoided you collapsed to the floor" she continued, eating my chocolate happily "Must be a Quidditch player thing..."

"I'm very surprised, actually" I admitted.

"I know, right?" Ella asked me rhetorically "Then he took you in his arms to the Hospital Wing and stayed by your side until Madam Clark diagnosed what you had"

"It doesn't make sense" I said trying to pretend that I wasn't astonished.

"He acted very coldly, you know, his usual emotionless face, but still it was clear the concern in his eyes" Ella told me, and I already knew what she was implying.

"Spit it out, Ella Grace" I commanded her, making she chuckle.

"You don't have anything to tell me?" Ella asked sincerely, not pressuring me but she knows there's something different.

I wondered why should I keep this from her, she may help me deal with everything I've been going through, also she's my best friend.

I think I've been keeping this from her because I fear judgement, mainly from the people that really matter to me.

But it's Ella, she won't judge me, she will help me.

"Malfoy and I have been snogging" I blurted out quickly, looking down to Sartre.

"I knew it!" she exclaimed.

"Is it so obvious?" I asked her worried.

"No" she admitted "Both of you are very discreet and you've been enemies for so long that nobody even considers it as a possibility"

"But?" I asked her curious.

"But I've noticed that you guys stopped fighting like you used to, and I know everybody noticed it as well, but they suppose you guys have finally matured, how naive"

"What made you suppose differently?"

"You weren't complaining about doing patrol with him anymore" she pointed out "I noticed that sometimes you looked to the Slytherin table when we were talking and he looked to you too when you weren't noticing"

"Well..." I was dumb folded, speechless actually.

"You became much more comfortable around him, and he around you as well" Ella muttered, also caressing Sartre in his belly "Your eyes get darker when both of you are together, just when you look at each other, and when one of you joins our group the other always look around searching for the other"

"No, we don't" I denied, getting scared by what Ella told me.

"Yes, you do" she told me firmly "You guys just don't notice it because you're too involved with each other to care about the rest of the world when you are together"

"Ella!" I scolded her "It doesn't even make sense, for Merlin's beard"

"You're so predictable, Rose Weasley" she mocked me "Denial is the first stage"

"Of what?" I asked confused, afraid of what Ella was implying "Are you insane?"

"You are the one insanely in love with Scorpius" she said simply "Not me"

"WHAT?" I sighed "Ella, I am not nor ever will be, so forget your bloody theories"

"Rosie, do you want to make a bet?" she asked me "Because I know I'll win anyway"

"You're hallucinating" I said incredulously.

"Your secret is safe with me" she told me, standing up and heading to the toilet "How long have you been together?" Ella asked me before closing the door.

"Two months" I muttered.

"Ha!" she exclaimed "You didn't deny that you and Malfoy are together! You're starting to accept it!"

"Ella!" I protested.

"Rest, Rosie" she told me "We have a Halloween party to go"

I heard as she closed the door and turned on the shower.

"I don't have a costume" I yelled so she could hear me.

"I got you one!" she replied yelling as well.

I rolled my eyes at Ella. Her words scared me because it will never happen, I'm sure.

I guess.

* * *

I think most of Hogwarts students didn't understand our costumes, mine is some Catwoman and Ella's is Wonder Woman, both characters of very famous comic books in the Muggle World. Hugo adores them and Ella as well, but I had never really paid any attention to them. Until now, when Ella showed me the costume her parents sent her last week she told me the story of how Catwoman and Wonder Woman are great warriors and an exception in the comic world where men are usually the heroes.

Although they are still very sexualised, she told me.

Indeed our costumes are tight, but don't show much flesh. Mine is leathered clothing, Ella's has a shield and golden lasso. But just muggle-born could understand what we are.

I noticed that some students were dressed as Harry Potter or Albus Dumbledore, Ginny Potter or Angelina Johnson-Weasley, Viktor Krum or Alastor Moody.

It's funny to see that while they admire these people (many part of my family), also they have no creativity.

"Ella, I feel ridiculous wearing this costume" I told her.

"You're joking, right?" she asked me "You look amazing!"

"Hey" my brother greeted us.

"Look, Hugo is Batman!" Ella exclaimed excited.

"Bat who?" I asked confused.

"Justice League, Rosie, I explained to you" Ella rolled her eyes.

"Stop trying, I've been doing it for many years but the cool stuff she doesn't learn quickly" he mocked me before joining Louis on the dance floor.

I looked around me, my whole family was in the party at the Great Hall already.

Lily and Lorcan were dancing together, he was looking better until he locked his eyes with Dom and a scowl got over his face when he saw her dancing with Stanislav Krum. Apparently Lily and Dom had the same idea, they were both dressed as Greek Goddess, just to make things worse for Lorcan, perhaps.

Fred and Amelie were near the food table with James, Roxy, Liam and Harper, Violet nowhere to be seen. James had a cut on his forehead and was holding a bag of ice over his left eye. Later I need to find out what happened.

Lucy and Frank were seated on the table, apparently not in a good mood. Molly was dancing with a boy from Durmstrang while Frank stares at her with a scowl and Lucy stares at him with a scowl on her face.

Now I understand what is going on.

"Where is Albus?" I asked Ella.

"There" she pointed to two boys entering the Great Hall.

"Woah" I exclaimed.

Albus was dressed like a pirate while Malfoy looked like a Quidditch player from England National Team.

"Albus is looking great" Ella whispered to me before calling them to approach us.

"Muggle characters, right?" Albus asked us.

"How do you know?" Ella asked excited, she loves when wizards know about the Muggle World.

"Because I don't have a clue about your costume" he replied sincerely.

"Oh" she sighed disappointed.

"But you look awesome" he said to her.

"Thank you, Albus" I mocked him playfully, making him roll his eyes.

"Could you tell me about your costume?" he asked Ella, sounding very interested.

"I'd love to!" Ella said loud with excitement.

As they left me there with Malfoy I felt more comfortable to talk to him.

"You're not even a little creative and original, are you?" I asked rhetorically.

"I'm looking better than you..." he looked to me from my feet to my head and back again "Whatever you are"

"I'm a superhero in the Muggle World" I said proudly.

"Really?" his tone of voice was challenging "What's your name then?"

"What?" I asked him surprised "Catwoman"

"Your real name, Hugo told me every superhero has a real name" he explained to me, how odd "You don't know because you know nothing about your costume" he scolded me.

"What's the matter?" I asked him stubbornly "I'm a hero and you're not"

"Excuse me" he exclaimed "My costume is much better than yours and..."

But before he could finish his babbling a girl accidentally stumbled and dropped a coloured fire whiskey over Malfoy's costume.

"Pardon, me" she apologised, her accent clear in her voice.

"It's..." Malfoy was saying but then he stopped when he looked at the girl.

She's stunning. Brunette, the tip of her hair pink, tall and skinny and tanned and dressed like a rockstar, she was wearing a leather short skirt, high heeled combat boots, black fishnet hose, leather jacket above a The Weird Sisters ripped shirt. Her eyes blue as mine. Her beam wide. Her mouth with a red lipstick. Damn it, she looks fine.

"I'm Arabella Turner" she said to him.

"Scorpius Malfoy" he replied.

Well, I'm still here.

"Doesn't sound French" I muttered.

She finally looked to me, eyeing me from my head to my feet.

Why everybody has to do it? I feel uncomfortable.

"Born here, raised in France" she explained to me "And you are?" she asked apparently interested.

"Rose Weasley" I told her.

"Weasley?" she asked rhetorically "Are you related to the Minister for Magic?"

"My mum" I said simply but feeling uncomfortable, I don't like to give personal information to people that I've just met.

"That's awesome" she said, beaming politely "Are the two of you together?" she asked without hesitation.

"What?" Malfoy and I asked together.

"Yeah, I was just wondering if you are a couple..." this girl has no boundaries, does she?

"No!" I said firmly, looking desperately to Malfoy who looked surprised as well.

"Not even friends" he said, his tone firm as well to sound convincing.

"It's hard to believe, anyway" she giggled due to our embarrassment "Since you're single, do you want to join me on the dance-floor?" Arabella looked expectantly to Malfoy, waiting for his response.

"Hm" he hesitated, looking to me.

Why is he looking to me?

He shouldn't be doing it.

"I'm hungry" I blurted out to get out of here, but indeed I am.

"Let's go then" she said to Malfoy, holding his hand and pulling him to the dance floor.

"Don't eat too much nor food that you shouldn't eat for a week" Malfoy said loud to me, he was walking forward but looking behind to me.

"Yes, father" I replied grumpily.

I rolled my eyes to him, turning my back and walking to the food table. It looks marvellous indeed.

But I couldn't decide what to eat while thinking that Malfoy was having fun with another gorgeous girl clearly interested on him and I couldn't say anything bad about her because she had been very polite to me.

It must me karma, again. I hate my life sometimes.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hey, folks!

Hope you like Chapter 24! Please let me know what you think about it with your reviews!

Feedback is so important to my work, it really keeps me writing!

Thank you so much for you support!

Seven reviews for Chapter 23! I couldn't thank you enough, it makes me really happy!

A special thank you to my reviewers from last chapter:

 _Guest 1_ – Thank you so much! I'm glad you found my story! Hope you keep reading, it means a lot!

 _jlpelton1_ – Thank you for your review and support! I hope to not disappoint you with this Chapter, it may confirm your theory!

 _missfizwizbiz_ – Thank you so much, my faithful reader! It means a lot to me your review and endless support! I hope you love this Chapter as well! I always enjoy reading your impressions about what happened in the chapters! Merci beaucoup!

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 _AhsokaAmidala34_ – I'm really glad that you liked Chapter 23! I think that if I were Seamus I would like to one day put my best students together, perhaps that's what he thought! Thank you so much for your review and support, it definitely keeps me writing!

 _Guest 2_ – Hello! Thank you so much for your review! I hope you're better and I'm glad to know your posting your stories! If you would like me to read send me the link here or through Private Messaging! There's no need to thank me, I'm glad to help!

 _Maria_ – Hey, thank you for your review! I'm glad you found my story and I hope you enjoy this chapter! I'm looking forward to their trip too, I already had a few ideas and I hope you like it!

Don't forget to review, folks!

 _Binki_


	25. Fluorescent Adolescent

**_Disclaimer:_ ** I own nothing, just the plot! Jo's behind the Wizarding World, fortunately!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twenty-Five – Fluorescent Adolescent**

My belly was making embarrassing noises as I walked towards the food table, but for the first time in my life it wasn't bothering me. I'm feeling numb, even more confused than I've been recently. I don't know why though, but there's a bitter taste in my mouth as I reached my family at the food table without daring to look behind me, to look at Malfoy with another girl.

I know that Malfoy isn't a prude, actually he's always with a girl, he's not a womaniser like James or Louis, but he has been much more active in the past years than Albus and I. I've snogged other boys before him, but I always kind of entered a sort of relationship, polygamy isn't my thing. Malfoy on the other hand never takes seriously his relationships, Albus told me once, he doesn't even refer to his flings as relationships.

Therefore I don't know if I should be surprised and… Uneasy? Why should I feel uneasy? We've never discussed about what we are, but considering how we've dealt with past relationships I've always had more consideration than him. Now I realised how I've been taking it more seriously than Malfoy, I guess. It makes me quite upset actually. But I shouldn't be. It's Malfoy and Rose Weasley, it's just snogging.

But then why am I feeling like this? Suddenly alone, the bitter taste in my mouth, the disappointment heavy in my chest and my body numb.

"Rose?" I heard someone calling me "Merlin, what's wrong with you?" Roxy asked worried.

"What?" I asked my cousin, trying to compose myself.

"Why are you so out of this world?" James looked to me with wide eyes and I remembered about his purple one.

"WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU?" I shouted worried.

"Violet" it was all that Harper said, her voice full of anger.

"James, why are you still with her?" I asked him, why do the Potters enjoy bad relationships?

"I love her and she loves me" he replied quickly, his voice firm but his eyes sad "We just had a fight"

"Just" Fred muttered sarcastically.

Amelie embraced him to calm him down, but I could notice the tension in the air.

"James" I tried to speak calmly, but I wanted to talk to her to understand what the bloody hell she was thinking "Did you hurt her as well?"

"Of course not!" he replied horrified "I would never hurt someone I love"

I looked to Roxy, sending her a questioning glare.

"Violet got jealous that James and Harper are back to being friends, they fought about it and she threw a cup on him" my cousin explained to me, rolling her eyes.

"I don't understand Violet" I confessed to them "She never cared much about you then suddenly you guys were together, but sometimes she treats you well or she's awful" I muttered angrily, caressing my cousin's face carefully.

"Me neither" he told me "I think she's a bit confused about us"

"James Potter saying a girl is confused about them being a couple, not him" Fred mocked "What a year"

"Fred Weasley dating a superwoman" James said in the same mocking tone "What a year"

Amelie and Liam giggled, but the rest of us didn't manage to find any humour due to the situation.

"James, I think you should rethink about your relationship with Violet" I said carefully "Sometimes feelings aren't enough to keep a relationship" I muttered thinking about Lily.

My cousins worry me so bloody much.

"Rosie" James said tired "I don't want to, I'm fine, it was just a misunderstanding"

I sighed frustrated, but chose to remain quiet.

"Don't be mad at me" he pleaded "Everybody already is, I just want to enjoy tonight, you know it's not a good day for me"

I agreed, just my cousins to make me forget about my own problems.

"We just worry about you" I muttered "We want to see you happy"

"Happiness is a ladder" James said sadly "Violet and I are still climbing"

"In baby steps" Harper muttered upset, leaving us and disappearing on the dance floor.

"These girls are going to destroy me" James sighed, embracing me for support.

"I won't" I said playfully "I promise"

"You're the only one I believe" he replied.

We watched as Roxy and Liam danced perfect together, synchronised and happily, they don't seem to have any problem, or if they do they are so discreet that no one notices. That's what I call a mature and healthy relationship, James doesn't seem to be like this. I don't think it ever will. Just like Lily and Lorcan's relationship.

Amelie and Fred on the other hand were dancing crazily, making weird movements and their hair moving unstoppable. They aren't the usual stereotyped couple, Fred is outgoing, but never was a womaniser like James, he's much more romantic and always had the misfortune for not having his feelings reciprocated. Amelie is a talent, successful, a prodigy, all the attentions were always upon her, she's gorgeous and confident, focuses on her career. How could they become a couple? They didn't seem to fit, and yet they fit so well together.

My cousins always impress me.

Not necessarily in a good way, but in this case I'm so glad for Roxy and Fred for having the right person by their sides at such a young age.

I think I have gamophobia, I really am not into serious relationships, commitment with someone else, the responsibility of playing the girlfriend role.

But at the same time it must be a unique and full filing sensation to have someone to call your love, your partner, someone you can count on not only by blood, but because you chose to be by her side.

Merlin, I'm having disturbing thoughts, I'm even getting scared with myself.

"Hell, Rosie" I heard an annoyed but at the same time funny voice beside me "Where the bloody hell are you?"

"Pardon, me" I said quickly, my glance averting from the dance floor and focusing on the food.

Merlin, what should I eat first? Can I eat everything at the same time? Bloody hell, all I wanted was to eat happily and without a certain blonde haired boy coming back to my mind all the time.

"And you're out again" he muttered, giggling at me.

"Sorry" I said sincerely.

"What's going on with you?" he asked me worried.

I looked into my cousin's brown eyes, as gorgeous as his mum's. James and I always had a special bond, since we were little. Albus is my best friend, but James also is. And when the subject is Malfoy, Albus is not the right person to talk to.

He's a bit desperate when the subject is Malfoy and I.

I understand him, I reacted the same way about him and Ella.

My conclusion? We should get a life of our own instead of interfering in each other's life.

I know, I've matured so much.

But back to James or he's going to leave me alone after getting into my own world of thoughts again, perhaps I could talk to him.

I'm hungry but my stomach is tied so no food can pass. Because of him, with her. The nice and gorgeous Arabella.

One word, karma!

"I've been seeing someone…" I muttered, dragging him to the corner of the Great Hall where no one could listen to us, and waiting for his reaction.

Not that my older male cousins have any decisions over my love interest choices. But still, James has not the best reputation with girls and just thinking of other guys disappointing his sister and younger cousins like he did to other girls makes him uneasy. At least right? He would be a total prat if it didn't make him feel like this, at least he knows how much he was a prat and has improved.

Perhaps Violet is a karma, now he's suffering with her everything he made other girls suffer with him, except the 'throwing a cup on his face' part which is scandalous and bizarre.

"I suspected" he admitted, taking a seat on the steps near the professors' dinner table.

I looked quite surprised to him, surely that's not what I expected. Perhaps some freaking out or him wanting to be 'who this guy is' in a bossy tone of voice, like he's used to do. His attitude actually surprised me.

"What?" he asked after noticing my expression "I'm not stupid nor I am your father"

"I just thought you would act like… Always?" I'm really confused with James.

Has Violet changed him so much? More than I expected? I never doubted how love can change people, for better or worse, but James always had a wild attitude towards… Life, I guess, I never thought it would ever change.

I don't know if this girl is an angel or a devil, all I know is that she has some powers. And I do like empowered women.

"Rosie" he started, sighing tired "You've supported me through so much, you've always been by my side" he muttered sincerely, I like sincere James "You're not a child anymore and a pretty tough girl, you can take care of yourself by your own…"

"Mature James, how odd" I giggled lightly.

He smirked to me, but it didn't reach his eyes. He's sad.

"Also, I know that you rather to talk to me about some subjects than with Albus" James added.

"Indeed" I agreed, he knows me so well "Al has an awkward tendency to freak out depending on the subject, I already freak out way too much"

"I feel so useful when you, clever Rose Weasley, the genius of our generation, come talk to me for advice" he said playfully.

I slapped his arm as he pretended to be hurt.

"Seriously, I'm so confused" I admitted, not daring to look to the dance floor anymore.

"How much?" he asked me curious.

"It even makes my appetite go away" I said to he could understand how confused I am.

"You're in love then" James said playfully but it scared me "If he or she is even affecting your appetite of a troll"

"HEY" I protested "And it's 'he', but I don't want to say the name"

"I think that I rather not to know" he admitted.

Great, if he pressured me to say what I rather not to I would feel so uncomfortable that I wouldn't keep talking to him.

"It's just…" and suddenly I am speechless, even having so much to say about it.

It's harder to say aloud your thoughts and feelings. I'm not used with both, saying aloud my problems and having feelings. I'm pathetic.

"Rosie" James embraced my shoulders "I'm your cousin, you can count on me"

"Thank you" I said, feeling more secure to talk to him "I saw him with another girl"

"Oh" it's all James said.

"Oh?" I asked him confused "Please don't leave me even more confused, James"

"Well" he said "You never cared before, I'm surprised"

Indeed, that's why it's pissing me off so much, why am I caring if the boy I've been snogging in the last months is seeing another girl?

"Also, have you guys talked about being with someone else?" James asked me, amazement still clear in his voice.

"Hm, no" I said simply.

"That's one of the huge problems I used to have with the girls I snogged" he explained to me patiently "Usually she would get mad at me for snogging another girl and then I would remember her that we hadn't agreed in being monogamous and that our 'fling' was serious"

"Oh" I said this time.

"It's surprise for you because you were never the one who cared if you were seeing someone else while snogging another guy" he told me "You've broken many hearts, Rosie"

"Not that much" I protested.

"Funny, isn't it?" he asked me chuckling.

"What?"

"The only lad you've ever liked is seeing another girl, while the others you never cared about" he chuckled again.

I gasped outraged.

"I never said that I like him" I protested again.

"You're in denial but it's clear" he informed me like if it were the most obvious thing "Jealousy is one of the first signals that you like someone"

"How do I know that what I'm feeling is jealousy?" I asked him feeling lost.

"Rosie, you're the smart one here" James said patiently "Feelings are hard to describe, but just the fact that it bothered you indicates that what you're feeling is jealousy"

"That's brilliant" I admitted, looking impressed to him "But it didn't exactly bother me…"

"Yeah yeah, say whatever you want to, but snogging instead of doing my homework allowed to get some knowledge after all" he mocked himself, ignoring my last sentence clearly not believing it.

"But what should I do?" I asked him feeling insecure.

I'm not used to feeling insecure in the love field, is quite scary actually.

"If I hypothetically consider that I do like him…" I added stubbornly.

I can't like Malfoy, that's not an available option. I shouldn't feel like this, and I won't, whatever it is.

"If you 'hypothetically' like him" James mocked my word choice "Then if I am a great cousin I should say that you should admit your feelings for him hoping to be reciprocated…"

"But?" I asked, noticing how he said 'great' ironically.

"But life's a bitch and just the clever ones win" he said cheekily "So make the guy jealous and you'll have him in your hand as you wish he was"

"That's awful" I almost yelled "I won't use someone to solve my problems by manipulating the boy I hypothetically like"

"You're such a prude" James mocked me "And not a clever one about love"

"James" I scolded him "I'm serious here, I never felt like this before"

"What?" he asked me "Love?"

"I don't love him" I said impatiently "I just don't want to be so upset that he's with another girl"

"When you say that 'he's with another girl'..." James said "Have you seen them snogging or do you know they did it behind your back?"

"No, not like this, but she's clearly interested on him" I muttered uncomfortably.

"Perhaps you're worrying way too much if you haven't seen anything between them" James trying to assure me after he noticed how uncomfortable I am with the whole situation.

"Yeah, maybe you're right" I tried to calm down.

"But Rosie" James tried to warn me before I could stand up and leave the Great Hall to take some fresh air "If you really like this guy there's no reason to deny your feelings…"

Actually there are many: our families have hated each there for decades, he's my beloved cousin's best friend, we have been enemies for years and left everyone around us mad. Beside the fact that I can't like him more than a friend with benefit.

It's just not right.

It's not what I planned, what I wanted and what I had in mind.

"... It's not worthy to lose time being with the ones you love because your pride doesn't allow you to admit that you're not the Iron Witch we thought you were" James finished, pressing my hand reassuringly before letting me go "Stop overthinking" I heard him saying behind me.

I never imagined James would be so patient and helpful with my 'love life'. He was so sweet.

In the past weeks I've been so confused. Why did I smell Malfoy's scent in our Amortentia? Why am I jealous that he's dancing with a gorgeous girl clearly interested on him? Why does he make me feel alive and so many emotions all at once when he snogs me every night and takes care of me? Why when I feel he cares about me my heart stops? Why I crave so much for our moments alone? Why he makes me doubt myself when I say I don't like him?

Why he makes so hard for me to admit that I do like him?

Because as hard as it is to me, I've just realised after everything that I've been through that indeed I like him. I have feelings for him, I'm not in love with him, but there's a little seed inside of my heart that he left there.

I opened up myself to him and he touched me deeply. My biggest fear is that if I let it grow inside of me, have I touched him deeply enough so his feelings for me grow as well? Even more important, have I managed to touch him as deeply as he did to me?

I didn't dare to look to the dance floor as I walked towards the corridor outside the Great Hall. I've just admitted to myself that I like Malfoy, I don't want to ruin it with some disturbing vision that may break my insecure and lonely heart.

"Rose" a small voice called me before I could reach the enormous wooden doors of the Great Hall "Why does it upset me so much?"

I wasn't used to hear Lucy speaking like this. I followed her gaze and found out what was bothering her. Frank was happily dancing with an uncomfortable Molly.

"I've just discovered that it happens because you like him" I told her tenderly.

If I am, at fifteen years of age, suffering so much with jealousy, I can't even imagine how Lucy is dealing, or trying to, with it.

"I always knew, I guess" she admitted, her eyes never leaving them "Just never wanted to say it to myself"

"Why?" I asked curiously, Lucy and I are so alike, perhaps she could make me see things about myself that I don't understand just by looking to herself.

"I'm too proud to let someone matter so much in my self-centred and boring life" Lucy said with her acid humour.

She had learned the art of self-deprecation with me. Poor child, why did I have to corrupt her at such young age?

"But you don't need to worry" I tried to assure her "Molly doesn't seem to be enjoying it"

"I know, he asked her, not the other way round" Lucy muttered.

"Then why are you so depressed?" I asked her confused.

"Because if jealousy over a girl that doesn't even like him made me realise that I do like him" she replied "What if jealousy over a girl that does like him make me realise that I am in love with him?" Lucy asked me almost desperate, finally looking to me and averting her eyes from Frank and Molly.

"Merlin, girl" I suddenly felt desperate "You're only twelve, calm down! You're overthinking your own life" I scolded her worried.

"I learned with the best" Lucy said stubbornly and upset, referring to me bitterly.

She left me there, but I didn't go after her. Lucy's temper is one of the worst of the family, she's confused and hurt and perhaps is best she stays alone and quiet so we don't hurt each other.

I'm so disappointed about tonight. I was expecting to have fun and eat as much as I could put inside my belly and snog Malfoy in the end, but I didn't appreciate properly the marvellous food table and it's been so depressive talking about feelings and failed expectations. Apparently everybody has love problems, James, me, Lucy…

LESS HUGO WHO RIGHT NOW IS SNOGGING EFFIE DESPERATELY ON THE DANCE FLOOR!

What the bloody hell?

The disturbing images of my baby brother snogging my roommate like if he wasn't fourteen just makes things worse. Also, there's the fact that my fourteen year old brother is snogging the girl he likes and I am not snogging the boy I like.

My life just got even more pathetic than before. Didn't I already have enough?

I noticed before leaving that Louis was looking angrily at Effie and Hugo. Oh no, another Weasley with a problematic love life, Louis, the young veela womaniser back stabbed by his cousin and best friend.

Why my family love life has to be so full of drama?

"Rosie!" another family member stopped me from leaving the Great Hall, again.

"Wha-" I tried to ask but Dom is too desperate to let me finish.

"STAN AND I ARE DATING" she yelled so everybody around us could hear "LIKE OFFICIALLY, HE'S MY BOYFRIEND AND I'M HIS GIRLFRIEND!"

"I understand the concept of dating, Dom" I said moody, but when I noticed the first enormous beam in her face in a long time falling I tried to make up for my humour, it's not her fault and I don't want to ruin her moment "THAT'S AWESOME DOM, I'M SO GLAD FOR YOU!"

She smirked again, her eyes glittering with happiness. I also remembered how although she moved on from her forbidden relationship with Lorcan she still has to tell Lily, but I really don't want to ruin such a special night for her.

At least someone in this family is having a pleasant night.

We embraced tightly before she left going back to a beaming Stan, his eyes glittering as much as hers.

Merlin, it must be such a great sensation to have the person you like reciprocating your feelings.

"You're ruining our night!" I heard a familiar voice saying not distant from me "You've been strange in the last months but I thought that at least today you would be the Lorcan I fell in love for"

I watched as Lily ran away from Lorcan extremely pissed off, her temper taking over her usually sweet behaviour. Although I really need a fresh air and have been interrupted twice already, I can't leave Lily alone, I ran after her as I noticed her approaching her best friend, Alice Longbottom, from behind.

The same Alice that snogged Matteo all of sudden as they were at the food table talking. Lily stopped on her tracks, and so did I as we witnessed the scene in front of us.

Matteo stepped back gently but surprised.

"I'm sorry, Alice" he muttered but Lily and I could listen to him "But I like another girl"

Ouch! Another broken heart.

Matteo left, his eyes on the floor, he didn't even notice that the girl he likes watched what happened. Alice turned around and found Lily, throwing herself in her best friend's arms and they embraced tightly.

Well, at least both of them are upset, so they have each other.

I think that's better to let them be, they'll take care of each other.

I'm so upset for me with my own problems, but now I'm upset for everyone I like being so miserable tonight. I would be fine if all my family and friends were having fun and only I were suffering with my confusing feelings. But James, Louis, Lily and Alice upset as well just makes my night even worse, because I care so much about all of them.

I really need to get out of here or I'll witness even more disaster and I don't think I can handle anymore.

Finally I managed to get out of the Great Hall without being interrupted. I sighed in relief as a I felt the refreshing cool air from outside caressing my skin and hair. Now I could sort out my thoughts properly and breathe quietly.

One of my favourite spots is the garden outside, surrounded by opened windows on the stone walls that form a perfect square, full of benches and flowers.

"Are you serious?" I heard an angry familiar voice coming from the garden.

Oh no, I thought no one would be out here when there's a cheerful party in the Great Hall.

But my curiosity took the best of me as I approached them, I was hidden behind a stone wall with an opened window to the garden, allowing me to see clearly their faces illuminated by the moonlight.

"It's none of your business if I am dating and who" Dom replied stressed out "But yes, I am dating Stan, so leave me alone"

"Why are you doing this to us?" Lorcan asked pissed off, messing his blonde hair desperately.

"Us?" Dom asked in a mocking tone "There's no 'us'! You are my cousin's boyfriend and now I have a boyfriend!"

"Me being your cousin's boyfriend didn't stop you to cheat on her!" Lorcan almost yelled, his eyes full of anger.

I almost jumped of fear of being caught as I heard a loud noise coming from the opposite direction of me on the other windows on the stone wall.

"It's over, Lorcan!" Dom said almost desperate, looking around to certificate no one was eavesdropping "I moved on and I'm really happy, you should move on too!"

Well, I am eavesdropping, but come on, I'm her family and I've been in the middle of this drama. I would say that I almost have the right to know what is still going on between these two.

They don't seem to give up on each other.

"How can I move on if the only direction that I would move to is dating another guy?" he asked rhetorically, now sadness took over her face.

I would feel pity for him if he hadn't been such a prat before.

"Stop it, Lorcan!" Dom said angrily and firmly.

"You're with him just to forget me… We love each other, we always have" he took a few steps towards Dom, but she stepped back.

"I don't fool who I like, at least not anymore" she replied without hesitation "I learned from my mistakes, you should learn from yours too"

YEAH GIRL! I'm so proud of Dom, I wanted to got to her and embrace my cousin tightly.

"Lily deserves a boyfriend that loves her" Dom finished, ready to leave him.

"Wait" Lorcan held her arm as she tried to walk past him "Will you tell Lily about us?"

I don't understand this boy, I want so much that Dom kicks his balls, or I'll do it.

"Yes, before my birthday, I want to restart with a clear and fresh year" she replied to him, walking back to the Great Hall.

Lorcan kicked a stone that was on the floor before getting to the stairs and disappearing probably to his Common Room.

Perhaps I should do the same, I don't want to get back to the Great Hall, I'm not hungry, the music's too loud, it's too crowded and I think I really need my warm and comfortable bed.

But just as I walked to the stairs I felt someone holding my arm, stopping me.

"Weasel" Malfoy said to me "Where were you?" he asked me.

I looked to his face, noticing a strange shade of red on his lips…

"Why do you care?" I asked him trying to understand what had happened to his lips.

They also look swollen…

"What do you mean?" he asked confused "I was looking for you"

"Why?" I got closer to him to have a better look to his lips, also noticing a purple mark on his neck.

"I…" he babbled "I wanted to check if you were eating properly"

I rolled my eyes.

"I also missed you" he admitted, his eyes looking expectantly to me.

Why is he looking to me like this?

Malfoy closed the distance between us, holding my waist firmly.

Merlin, just the way he dragged me to him left me shaking.

I felt his breath on my neck, his lips caressing my skin.

He's here, right in front of me, holding me in his arms, worried about my health, saying he missed me and came looking after me, leaving Arabella on the dance floor.

Why does it seem like the proper moment to spit out to him what I feel and finally have a great night?

'Stop overthinking', James had said.

"I have something to tell you, Malfoy" I blurted out before I could decide if it was the best decision or not.

"Tell me" he demanded softly by holding me even tighter in his arms, mine firm around his neck, his grey eyes piercing my blue ones and his gaze so intense that a shiver went down my spine and suddenly I simply knew that I had taken the best decision.

"I-" but before I could finish, I heard a voice that interrupted me.

"Scorpius" she called him, the French accent clear in her voice "I want you back, handsome"

I immediately stepped away from him, realisation hitting me like a quaffle.

Then Arabella appeared in front of us, her lips swollen, the red from her lipstick lighter, her neck with purple marks.

I looked between them, connecting their appearances, linking the evidences.

They are matching.

My heart skipped a beat, but not of happiness. Suddenly all the positivity vanished from my body and there was just sadness, anger, frustration, disappointment.

"I hate you, Malfoy" I said, my face emotionless, my voice cold.

But inside I was shaking.

Without looking back, I left them there and after reaching the first step I ran quickly to the Gryffindor Tower.

Tonight just got worse.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, folks! I hope you enjoy Chapter 25 and don't forget to review!

I'm sorry for taking so long to update, but this wasn't an easy chapter to write, so many characters and conflicts and emotions! I don't think love comes easy so it won't be while I am the writer!

A special thank you to my reviewers for Chapter 24:

 _scorose4life_ \- Thank you so much for your review, it means a lot! I'm glad that you like how I develop Scorpius and Rose's relationship, I simply adore to write about them! I hope you enjoy Chapter 25 and let me know what you think about it!

 _momo_ – Hey momo! Thank you so much for your review, I love to know what my readers think about each part of my chapters! And don't worry, I don't hate you for thinking differently from me, but since the beginning I planned this mystery to not last long, my main focus is Rose and Scorpius' relationship, so many things happen around them but I don't lose my focus. I'm sorry if I disappointed you, but I wouldn't keep this mystery without a purpose, I wrote everything I had to about it! Also, my timeline indeed is different, soon you'll understand why! I hope to still read more of your reviews and that you enjoy the next chapters!

 _missfizwizbiz_ – Hello, my faithful reader! Thank you so much for your review and support, it means a lot to me! Hope you like Chapter 25! Merci beaucoup!

 _Lets_ – WOW Thank you so much for your review! I'm flattered with your compliments! That's my first fanfic and I do love to write, but there's no planning to officially become one! Anyway, you just made my day, I'm really glad with your words! I hope you keep reading my story and enjoy the next chapters! Please, let me know what you think about them!

Without further ado,

 _Binki_


	26. Pity Love

**_Disclaimer:_ ** I own nothing, just the plot! The rest belongs to the amazing JK Rowling!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twenty-Six – Pity Love**

I never thought that I would ever feel like this… Heartbroken. It's an awful feeling. Suddenly such an important person in your life disappoints you and then that relationship we used to have doesn't exist anymore, there are just memories left.

And it pains so much. The memory reminds me what I've lost. It seems to me that I had to lose what I used to have to give it the value it deserves.

I don't care he is a Malfoy. I don't care he's Scorpius. I don't care he's a Slytherin and that we've been enemies for so long. I should care he's my beloved cousin's best friend, but I just don't. And it scares me, because he changed me.

The last months have been… Interesting. I've overcome so many prejudices that I used to have. I even feel ashamed, my parents and relatives always taught me about love, tolerance and peace. But perhaps Lily and Dom and everybody have always been right, the animosity between Malfoy and I never had anything with Houses or families rivalry, the sexual tension had always been there. The proof is that we got involved, firstly physically, and then, emotionally. At least I did, apparently he didn't.

Because if he really felt something for me he wouldn't be snogging another girl. When we fancy someone we want to be only with her, no one else matters. I just want to snog him, and embrace him and feel his scent, like I used to do.

We never talked about what we were, indeed. So I can't demand anything from him. But still, it hurts.

It hurts because just when I finally figured out my feelings the person I like was snogging someone else. Someone prettier, cooler and probably less complicated. Someone new. How refreshing is that?

I'm also so confused… We haven't been "together" for so long, so why is it affecting me so much? I should be the Iron Witch, I don't date, I don't fall, I don't suffer.

And yet, why do I feel so empty inside? Why my days have been so grey although the days have been surprisingly sunny? Why do I feel so lonely although my family is always around me?

They noticed I'm not well. And I know that they are surprised that I'm not grumpy nor in a defensive mode, like I do when something pisses me off. I'm truly sad, and I just can't hide it. I see that they try to say something or give me some support, but they simply don't know how, because they had never seen me like this before, I had never seen me like this before.

It's so disappointing to finally admit to yourself for the first time that you like someone and then reality ruins this moment, a very important moment for me.

I haven't seen him as well, nor I looked for him. I'm usually a very spontaneous and lively person, I'm communicative and emotional yet rational. So Ella, Albus, James and Dom were really confused when they tried to support me and I just wasn't able to open up with them. I just can't. I feel the pain so deep inside of me that first I need to deal with it alone, trying to recover my strength and try to learn with everything I've lived for the past months before I can talk about it with anyone. Even with Ella. And they respect me, even though they don't know what's going on. Just Ella knows and she's been very supportive in a silent way. I couldn't thank her enough for this.

I need space. And that's what they are giving to me.

As I've said, I haven't seen him, but I'm not deaf. I've heard the rumours around the Castle and even my family is talking about it, although it makes things worse for me they don't know that what they are talking about is exactly what is hurting me. I usually just walk away pretending to not be feeling well, but I was still having lunch when James said:

"Malfoy always criticised me for being after Violet the whole day, but since snogging Arabella we don't see him around anymore"

He looked to Albus expecting some reaction from Malfoy's best friend, but he didn't say a word.

"You sound like Rita Skeeter sometimes, James" Roxy mocked him.

"Why? Because he's like an old gossiping lady?" Dom giggled sarcastically.

"I was very surprised, actually" Louis muttered.

He and Hugo apparently had a massive fight and aren't speaking to each other because of Effie.

But they are still seated together, like the best friends they are.

"What do you mean, weirdo?" Dom asked confused.

Weirdo is a great definition for Louis and Hugo, due to the circumstances.

"Scorpius was always snogging someone, but since the beginning of classes I hadn't seen him with anyone" Louis said sincerely surprised.

"Until last night" Fred giggled mischievously.

"She's stunning" my little brother said, to which all the guys agreed.

Indeed she is. But do they need to keep remarking it in front of me?

"Malfoy is a lucky bastard" Louis remarked "He doesn't even have to make an effort"

"Neither do you, veela boy" Albus mocked him.

Great, that's exactly what I need.

"You guys should mind your own business" Ella said grumpily.

I noticed how everybody seated around us looked shocked to her, Ella never acts like this, she's always so relaxed, happy and just chilling. Nothing ever bothers her, she's so calm and peaceful.

I silently thanked Ella, she knows me so well, the last thing I need to hear is about Malfoy and the gorgeous Arabella.

"Dammit" James muttered "What's going on here?"

"Just shut up, James" Roxy said, noticing the tension.

She's always the peacemaker.

"Right, since James is pissing everyone off, let's talk about how he's finally gonna get laid" Fred mocked him, earning a death glare from the oldest Potter.

"What?" Louis chuckled "James is a virgin?"

"What's wrong with it?" Hugo asked uncomfortably, but he didn't look to Louis.

Merlin, what an awkward conversation.

"I'm not a virgin!" James protested insulted.

I rolled my eyes, but kept my mouth shut. I'm not in the mood to scold the boys for being stupid.

"The male desperate need for self-assurance towards what is considered to be a male alpha concerning its sexuality is quite disturbing" Roxy pointed out exactly what I thought, this girl is awesome.

"Yeah, yeah" Fred dismissed his twin sister "Speak English, please"

Roxy rolled her eyes, certainly giving up on talking to these jerks we call family.

"Blah blah" Dom mocked Fred and Roxy "Roxy's right but I want to know the gossip first hand..."

"Typical Dominique" Ella muttered.

"...What do you mean with 'finally gonna get laid'?" Dom asked curious.

"Isn't it obvious?" Louis asked chuckling "He and Violet still haven't bang!"

"Language, Louis Weasley!" Lucy scolded him as she joined us at the Gryffindor table.

How appropriate, a twelve year old listening to this depraved conversation.

"Great, uncle Percy has arrived" Louis mocked.

"You're being a jerk today" Dom scolded her brother, clearly pissed off.

"That's because Effie chose virgin Hugo instead of slutty Louis!" Fred chuckled really hard, almost losing his breath.

"WHAT?" James yelled.

Of course he did.

Merlin, Fred is so blunt! Sometimes the boys don't seem to know the social protocol.

"Fuck off" Louis complained "I hate you guys" he left, not even glancing to an upset Hugo.

My baby brother is actually really cute.

"Why boys are so stupid?" Lucy asked us girls "What's the matter if Hugo is a virgin?"

"Their ego is fragile" Ella replied to her.

"Can we get back to the fact that James and Violet still haven't shag?" Dom asked us almost desperate.

"Get a life, Dom" Lucy scolded her, rolling her eyes.

"I do" Dom said happily "I have a boyfriend now"

She looks to delighted...

"I'm a bit disturbed, but I'm curious as well" Lily approached us with a grumpy Lorcan beside her.

Oh well, it had to happen, right? Just when Dom was talking about Stan, Lorcan had to show up with Lily.

"Why is everybody so surprised?" James asked us exasperated.

"Because you're a man hoe" Lily giggled, making every family member and Ella chuckle as well.

But I didn't because I'm not in the mood.

"I know…" James muttered "But I feel she's special, I want it to be special and that she feels special with me"

He didn't look at us, but down to his plate. James may be a womaniser, but he's kind and sensible. And also he is becoming less of a prat. He was so nice to me on Monday during the party, helping me figure out my own feelings.

"I don't think she deserves" Dom said, to which not only I agreed but the whole family.

But James is old enough to make his own choices. In life we always have to take the risk of failure. That's what living is for.

"You shouldn't be ashamed, James" I finally spoke, being careful to not hurt his feelings "You're being a great lad and making up for all the girls you've hurt in the past"

"Yeah" Lily agreed "I'm proud of you" she said trying to sound sincere.

"We are" Roxy said firmly "Now you look less stupid to me"

We all giggled, even James and I. That's our family, we mock each other and piss each other off, but we're always together and being supportive whatever the situation is.

It kind of warmed my frozen heart, I felt a comfortable feeling inside my chest after what seemed to be such a long time, but actually had been just three days. Having them around me makes things easier to deal with, soon I'll recover and get back to the old Rosie.

I hope, at least.

* * *

It's finally Friday night, and I couldn't be more thankful. All I need is a nice weekend all to myself, doing my favourite stuff with my favourite food, in my bed. I decided to skip dinner and grab a few things in the kitchen to eat in my bedroom and enjoy the silence since the other girls would be at the Great Hall like the ordinary adolescents they are. I'm such a weirdo.

But as I've said before, I have a huge karma always around me. Because that's the only reason I managed to find to explain why I had to bump into Malfoy and Arabella as I was walking to the kitchen. They didn't notice me, so I stayed looking at them a bit more than I should.

I had to see it with my own eyes to move forward. Or because I am sadomasochistic. I just need to. And I did.

I noticed how she had him pinned on the wall, his hands on her ass, hers inside his shirt, they were snogging fiercely, making my stomach hurt. I felt tears in my eyes, but I wouldn't let them fall over my face, it took me a lot of self-control to do it though.

They were very synchronised, out of breath, she kept giggling happily and I don't know how he didn't roll his eyes because this sound she makes is pathetic.

But perhaps not for him, maybe he finds her adorable, girly, feminine, not exactly what I am. I looked down to my outfit, a baggy t-shirt long enough to be a dress, combat boots, tousled hair, no make up. They are even affecting my self-esteem, which sucks.

Sexist societies already put a lot of pressure over women, imposing established patterns concerning how we should wear, how we should act, what we should do and what choices we should make, according to the male necessities. It's a man's world, after all.

But women like my mum, who always has been known for her intellect rather than for her appearance and became the first female Minister for Magic*, my grandma Granger and Nana Molly, both who raised amazing families and are role models for everyone, my aunt Ginny and aunt Angelina, who showed that playing like a girl is no shame, and otherwise is the same as having a successful career in Quidditch, among many other inspiring women in my life, are changing this world.

When we are adolescents all the insecurities and all this pressure almost engulf us, I am very proud of my freckles and ginger hair, of being the daughter of Hermione and Ron Weasley, and of being a Quidditch player, but it took me a long time to overcome the fact that I look different from what is considered average, the pressure of being the child of ⅔ of the Golden Trio, and also that girls can play Quidditch without being afraid of becoming masculine. For every adolescent is tough, mainly for every girl is even more tough. But these insecurities that sexist societies perpetuate are made to oppress us, to maintain the status quo that restrict women's freedom.

So now I feel horrible with myself, my ego is hurt, but my feelings are even more. Because he left me for her, and what even makes me even more confused is that I didn't think he would be a capable of doing it. He didn't seem to hesitate. Am I blind or he is great a great liar? It doesn't matter anymore…

Or perhaps it does, no one walks away from me! Not like if I am nothing, that's so disrespectful. I know Malfoy and I never dated and I don't know if friends is a word to define us. But I had consideration for him due to everything we've been through together, although we hadn't planned it, it just happened. How can he leave me like this?

I won't stay quiet, but now isn't the moment for me to speak to him or I'll say crap. I need to process everything that happened and think, this is when overthinking is positive. Also, it's a way to protect myself, I'm too fragile now and I don't him to notice nor take advantage for it. Malfoy knows how to manipulate, but he won't do it to me anymore.

That's when, lost in my own thoughts for so long, I noticed he was staring at me, grey piercing eyes trying to read me. I kept his stare, noticing how Arabella kept snogging him unaware of my presence and he was suddenly tense, his jaw tight.

How he does it while snogging is beyond my comprehension…

I decided to keep my head held high, my eyes not afraid to look to his piercing ones, my eyes were full of water, my vision was even blurred, but not even a single tear fell from my eyes. I think he noticed how much strength I'm having right now, his eyes with a hint of surprise, I wasn't letting him intimidate me nor read me like he used to do. I won't let him affect me anymore.

After what seemed to be hours, I continued my pace, walking past them without hesitating, like if they weren't affecting me.

I could feel his grey eyes following me, but I didn't stop, always looking forward, never to the floor. Just as I turned around the corner, I ran as fast as I could, wanting to get away from them as I felt those tears finally falling from my eyes, there was no more space for so many of them.

On Saturday most of my friends and family left to spend the day in Hogsmeade and I felt a sudden peace for being left alone again, I need this time for myself, as much as I love all of them. Finally my gastritis is gone so I can enjoy my day eating, reading and just laying in my bed.

Dom is so glad to go to Hogsmeade with a boyfriend, she always had a date, but now things are different. I'm glad for her, but also I don't want to know about couples, they make me feel bad.

Not because I wanted to be dating someone, or him, but because I am hurt, my heart never felt like this before, rejected.

What's the matter of fancying someone if you can't be with him? It's one of the greatest frustrations I've ever felt.

"Are you sure you'll be alright?" Ella asked me concerned, Al, Lysander, Lily, Lorcan and Alice around us.

"Yep" I said, trying to sound relaxed but failing.

Not that I failed, Lorcan probably didn't even notice, nor Alice or Lysander, but Al, Lily and Ella know me well enough to notice something is bothering me.

Ella knows but she's giving me space before I decide to talk to her.

"Don't worry, I'm a big girl" I told her reassuringly.

Actually, the perspective of having a day all by myself doing what I like the most is quite comforting.

"Actually you're looking like Lily's pygmy puff with these pajamas" Al muttered giggling.

As I heard everyone laughing around me, I remembered Malfoy calling me a 'ginger pygmy puff' when I was angry for missing another weekend in Hogsmeade.

That's awful, I never paid attention whether something reminded me of one of the boys I snogged, I don't think I ever paid much attention to them. It was just for the physical part.

But with him things were different. I don't know why, but they simply were. I paid attention to him, what he likes, what he doesn't, his opinions and perspectives. And I thought he paid attention to me as well, at least he seemed to care, to really listen to what I had to say.

But apparently I was wrong… I don't think he really cared. He pretends very well. And I am stupid. I shouldn't have allowed him to get into my life… Now he left without even hesitating and I'm broken inside.

While he snogs a gorgeous and confident French girl like if he hadn't done it with me for the past months.

I wonder how long it will take for them to shag… But I shouldn't think about it or I'll throw up.

Not that I think about shagging Malfoy, but usually that's the next step, right? I don't know, I never got there, I never felt comfortable enough to be like this with someone else.

Suddenly I'm back to Earth and I notice how far Ella, Al and all the others already are, walking towards Hogsmeade. They probably said their farewells, I replied, but didn't even notice.

I really need to get back to the old Rosie or I'll get insane.

But before I could go back to the Castle a couple walked past me. The girl was holding the boy's arm so tight that I could see he was tense. I noticed when he looked at me from his side-eye, and that's when I noticed that the boy is Malfoy going to Hogsmeade with Arabella.

Are they really that serious already? Two months 'together' and he didn't ask me out, a few days and they already have a date?

Merlin's beard. Fuck off Malfoy. I shouldn't think what is wrong with me, I shouldn't compare myself to her, I shouldn't feel miserable. And yet, I am. I hate him even more for this. I can't hate her because she didn't do anything wrong, I know that Malfoy and I never talked about not snogging other people… But I never thought we would have to… How naïve am I? He's Scorpius bloody Malfoy, he snogs whoever he wants and he always gets what he wants. Perhaps I was just another game, but why Arabella isn't? Why did he apparently fall for her so quickly? Why he didn't fall for me as I did for him?

Alright, I didn't fall for him, but I fancy him…

Blimey! I need ice cream and cake, a book and my comfy duvet.

Now!

I had planned to read all the books in my list, but after eating so much I slept during the whole afternoon. As usual. I think I'm so tired emotionally that it's affecting me physically, so a rest was actually very welcomed. Sometimes I dream with him, we are together doing the things we were used to do, other times he's there snogging other girls on the dance floor. Either way, I never wake up well, and the rest of my day is affected. If Malfoy also messes up with my appetite, then he'll be the most hated person in Britain.

"Wake uuuuuuup" a voice tried to sing, excitement clear "Rosieeeeeeeeeeeee"

I grunted annoyed.

"Dom, you're already the epitome of annoyance" I heard Effie saying "Having a boyfriend makes you worse"

I giggled at that, not being able to restrain myself.

"Oh look, somebody is awake" Ella mocked me, messing my hair.

"Sod off, Ella" I complained.

"Oh" Dom exclaimed, mischief clear in her voice "We forgot to talk about something"

"What?" I asked worried, looking desperately to Ella.

Does she know about Malfoy and I?

"Spit it out, Dom" Ella demanded as tense as me.

Dom teased us moving her eyebrows mischievously.

She's the devil!

"Effie snogged little Hugo!" she chuckled as Effie 'attacked' her, both falling on Dom's bed.

"Shut up!" Effie yelled, trying to cover Dom's mouth.

"I already know about that" I said bored.

But inside I was celebrating that it was nothing about me.

"Really?" Effie and Dom asked me surprise.

"I saw you" I replied, getting up and walking towards the bathroom to take a shower.

I'm feeling filthy for spending the whole day without a bath.

Also, I do have mixed feelings about Effie and Hugo, but considering how Effie doesn't get attached to anyone, he'll probably get upset and then it's over. Not that I want Hugo to get heartbroken, there are already too many people suffering for having feeling for someone, but perhaps it's better if he doesn't date my roommate? Or am I being mean? It's their lives, I shouldn't even say anything, even though he is my little brother.

"Rosie is no fun, uh?" Dom muttered upset.

I rolled my eyes at her foolishness, but moments like these that help me heal the enormous wound inside of me.

* * *

On Sunday I decided to finally read my books, Sartre laying with me on the Common Room's couch, sleeping in my head. I adore when he does it, he seems to be so adorable. Usually he has his bored expression on his face, but now he seems like a cute and fat cat.

Dom and Albus were on the floor around the small table doing the essays I had done a week earlier, stopping me every time to help them.

I was sure they would desperately ask for my help.

James was finishing the details of his surprise for Violet, the bruise of his eye still there, with Fred and Amelie's help. Indeed, when you fancy someone you're blind and pathetic.

Lily was in a corner with Alice, both of them crying talking about their difficult love life. Again, having feelings for another person is tough. And they are just in Fourth Year, for Merlin's beard!

I think all of us spent the whole afternoon doing the same thing, but I wasn't complaining, I love to get lost in my books, with a fluffy and fat cat sleeping in my head just makes things better.

"DINNER TIME" James yelled, scaring everybody in the Common Room.

"Bloody hell!" Al complained pissed off.

"It's your older brother" Dom muttered "You still haven't got used to him?"

Al rolled his eyes annoyed, and as all of us walked towards the Great Hall, he and Dom didn't stop complaining about the essays, how hard they were to write, how the professors are being oppressive for demanding so much of their students and other things I stopped listening to.

"Sincerely, I told you guys to do your essays earlier" I remarked "But obviously you never listen to me"

"I hate when she talks like…" But before Dom could finish, Hugo interrupted her, appearing from I don't know where, his eyes wide and out of breath.

"Merlin's beard, Hugo!" I exclaimed scared.

"Bloody hell" Al complained "Everybody in this family is a weirdo"

"Shut up" Hugo yelled at us "Rosie, mum is here"

"Why are you so scared?" I asked worried.

"Gee, relax" James mocked my brother "She's the Minister but still is your mum"

"I'm serious, James" Hugo scolded him "Come on"

We ran as fast as we could to the Great Hall, but many students were doing the same eager to dine. The Sunday feast is always marvellous, even the foreigners have already realised it.

"Bloody hell" my brother said angry "Why does everybody have to go dine at the same time?"

"Calm down, redhead" Ella mocked him.

As soon as we reached the stairs that led to the Great Hall I noticed how strangely crowded it is. Even for dinner time. We struggled to walk through the students, and just as we reached the bottom I heard my mum's voice coming from outside, not from the Great Hall.

"My apologies, professor, we should have come earlier to avoid this situation" mum said as I finally managed to see what was happening.

We were in the patio in front of the Great Hall, past the enormous wooden doors. My mum, Minister for Magic, joined by Mrs. Malfoy, Head of the Department of International Magical Cooperation, uncle Harry, Head of the British Auror Office, and other employees from the Ministry of Magic. All of them with serious and worried expressions.

Professor McGonagall stood there calm as ever, but I could see she was controlling her emotions to not scare the students.

"I understand, Minister" professor McGonagall said "I already called the suspects"

"Thank you, professor" uncle Harry said.

The tension was clear, I could listen to the students' murmurs: 'look, it's Harry Potter', 'I don't know if I should freak out because the Minister is here, or Harry Potter, or both', 'Albus is just like his father', 'Rose is exactly like her mum', 'What are they doing here? Not that I'm complaining'.

Albus and I exchanged a look, everybody compares us to our parents because indeed, we're very alike. But it gets annoying after everybody does.

"What's going on?" Al asked me worried.

I wasn't sure, but then I remembered on Monday, when Malfoy and I gave to my mum Heather's diary.

"I think I know…" I said, stepping forward towards my mum "Mum…"

"Rosie" mum embraced me tightly "Are you feeling better?"

"I'm back to eating like a Weasley" I assured her, trying to break the tension.

"I'm not sure if it comforts me" she said beaming to me, but her expression still tense.

"What's going on?" I asked her, looking around to Mrs. Malfoy and greeting her politely before embracing my uncle as well.

"That diary…" mum simply replied to me as Kristoffer Hansen and Stanislav Krum arrived with the Durmstrang delegation.

Heather Nott also was brought by Roxy and Liam, her expression confused until she saw the Headmaster and the Ministry's officials.

"No" she simply said, her mouth trembling, her eyes wide.

Heather is an obnoxious girl, but I had never seen her like this before, so… Afraid?

Heather may be a pain in the ass, but she has been manipulated for a grown up and powerful man that took advantage of her insecurities, usual for adolescents, to accomplish his own interests.

"All the students, go to the a Great Hall, now" professor McGonagall demanded.

But no student moved, everybody was more interested about what was happening.

"Kristoffer Hansen" uncle Harry said in a firm and professional tone "You are being summoned to depose at the Ministry of Magic"

"Under which charges?" Kristoffer asked unaffected.

"I ask the questions" uncle Harry replied.

Two employees of the Auror Department seized his arms, taking his wand before apparating with Kristoffer.

"Mr. Krum" my uncle called Dom's boyfriend "We want you to come with us to testify"

Stan seemed surprised, but obliged without hesitation. I just noticed how he glanced to Dom before apparating with another employee. Dom kept her head held high, but I could see her eyes full of tears.

"Why am I here?" Heather asked my uncle with her pitchy voice, looking desperate between him, my mum and professor McGonagall "I demand to be released" she said stubbornly.

I rolled my eyes at her.

"Sod off, Weasel" Heather mocked me, using the nickname only Malfoy calls me.

"You know very well why you're here, Heather" I said slowly, sounding unimpressed "Your hypocrisy would be funny if you weren't such a…"

"Rose Weasley" my mum scolded me, pushing me to where my cousins and friends were with the other students.

"We need you to come with us to depose, Miss Nott" uncle Harry said "Your parents are already waiting for you at the Ministry of Magic"

"You don't have any proof!" Heather yelled.

"Actually they do" I retorted, earning a furious glance from my mum.

"Quiet, Rosie" she scolded me again, her eyes intimidating.

I decided not to piss her off even more, I don't like to upset my mum, it's just Heather brings the worst of me.

"We have under our possession a diary that is said to be yours" an employee informed her, this time earning an upset glance from uncle Harry, since the man is from his department.

"My diary?" Heather asked astonished "But… How?"

She seemed confused… And then angry, realisation hitting her.

Her eyes found me, full of rage. And suddenly, I knew I should have done like mum told me to do.

"YOU" Heather yelled to me.

I didn't deny, I just gulped, waiting for her reaction.

I wonder if she would be like this if she knew that her beloved Scorpius Malfoy is involved.

Where the bloody hell is the bastard? Oh yeah, doing…

"I won't get fucked up for you, Weasley!" Heather threatened me "I HEARD YOU" she yelled.

She heard me? What? Merlin, not now, she can't know about Scorpius and I and tell the whole school about it, and our mothers are here…

But she wasn't looking to me.

"I heard you, Dominique Weasley" she walked slowly to Dom, being stopped by two employees of the Auror Department.

"That's enough" my mum said urgently "Come on, Harry"

"Wait" Heather demanded "I eavesdropped your conversation with Lorcan Scamander, your little cousin Lily Potter's boyfriend, after the Halloween party"

Dom, who was looking unaffected, finally expressed something. She was shocked. She looked to Lily, beside her a desperate Lorcan.

So the noise I heard that scared me when I was eavesdropping Dom and Lorcan conversation, that was Heather! Merlin's beard!

"Heather" I warned her, trying to control my voice to not sound vulnerable "You're angry with me!" I reminded her "I fucked up your life, so leave my family alone"

"Exactly" she muttered, her voice full of revenge "You fucked me up, nothing better than you seeing your perfect bloody family collapse!"

Merlin, she's really angry.

"Tell her, Dominique" Heather demanded, her voice loud "Tell Lily that you cheated on her with Lorcan!" she spit it out venomously "TELL HER!"

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hey folks! I'm so sorry for taking so long to update! September was a tough month for me, I've been struggling with some personal problems but I didn't let it stop me from doing what I like!

This month is 1 year anniversary of Mischief Managed, so thank you so much for all of you that read my story and support me with your reviews! It means a lot to me and helps me keep writing!

I hope you guys enjoy Chapter 26! Please let me know what you think about it!

A special thank you to my reviewers of last Chapter:

 _N Slytherin_ – Thank you so much for your review!

 _momo_ – Hey momo! I'm glad that you enjoyed this chapter, I know the last left you with mixed feelings, but thank you for your review! If you allow me to, I would like to use your idea "i know sometimes the person look the toughest is usually the most vulnerable", I loved it! Hope you enjoy this chapter as well!

 _Emilia_ – Thank you so much, Emilia! I'm glad you enjoy my story!

 _Leslie_ – Leslie, thank you for your review! It means a lot!

Don't forget to review, folks!

*According to Pottermore, Hermione Granger wouldn't have been the first women as Minister for Magic, but I changed the fact to keep coherence with my story

 _Binki_


	27. Here I Am

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, Jo Rowling does!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twenty-Seven – Here I Am**

Everybody looked horrified between Dom and Lily.

"ENOUGH" mum intervened "Harry, NOW!" she demanded firmly.

Suddenly, every official of the Ministry and its employees apparated with a screaming Heather.

But the silence was worse than her screams.

Lily looked petrified, her eyes wide with pure shock horror, her lips trembling.

Dom didn't look in Lily's eyes, she just looked to the floor, I could see she was feeling ashamed, sobs coming from her mouth.

I told her so many times to tell Lily before anyone could find out. Albus urged her so much as well.

What would Lily say when she finds out that her own brother didn't warn her about her cheating boyfriend… With her cousin… That's so fucked up.

"Dom" Lily said firmly, placing herself in front of Dom "Tell me…"

Dom sobbed loudly this time, but her head remained down.

"Dominique" Lily said aloud, demanding her attention.

But when Dom remained quiet, Lily placed her hand delicately under Dom's chin, holding her head high.

"Tell me…" Lily demanded again, her voice not hesitating not even a little "Tell me it's not true"

I don't know how Lily does it, she's incredibly fierce, just like aunt Ginny. But she's still so young, I really don't know how she manages to find so much self control. I don't know how to do it, I would probably be doing something stupid right now.

"I'm so sorry" Dom whispered, looking firmly to Lily's eyes.

"No" Lils whispered in denial, her hands leaving Dom's face, she took a step back like if something had hit her hard on her chest.

It must feel this way… She's probably heartbroken, more than I am. I do like Malfoy, but Lily loves Lorcan. They have been dating, even though it's a damaged relationship, they still created a bond together as a couple.

Even my own chest is in pain for witnessing this scene.

And that's when I remembered that the whole school is watching them as well.

"I'm so sorry" Dom repeated again, her head still held high, although her eyes were full of sadness and shame.

"You're my cousin…" Lily whispered mostly to herself, not being able to believe it "And you…" This time she looked to Lorcan.

"It shouldn't have been like this…" he muttered, but differently of Dom, he didn't apologise not seemed to feel ashamed.

He's such a prat.

I've always mocked Lysander for being aloof, but it's better to be socially awkward than to be a total jerk like his twin brother.

I've been mocking the wrong twin for so long.

I noticed how Lily wouldn't be able to restrain her feelings for much long, how Dom was sobbing silently, and how both of them deserve some privacy.

"We need to take them out of here" I said urgently and worried to Roxy and Al.

Both of them agreed and quickly moved.

"All the students to the Great Hall, now!" Roxy demanded with her bossy tone.

"The student that don't do as your Head Girl says will lose 100 points for your House…" she said intimidatingly "Each" she highlighted the world with her firm tone of voice.

This time every student who was watching all the drama ran away quickly towards the Great Hall, the murmurs taking over the silence.

Professor McGonagall left taking the last stubborn students, leaving just the Weasley family in the patio with Lorcan, Ella, Alice and Matteo.

"Lily, Dom" I called them "Let's go somewhere else where you can have more privacy"

"Yes, just the two of you to talk calmly" Roxy highlighted that it would be only them.

"Wait, wait, wait" James intervened "He fucks up with my baby sister and you want me to stay out of this?" he asked outraged.

"Finally you understood" Roxy retorted.

"James" Albus warned him "It's not our time, let them talk first"

"They can talk" James said angry "We talk to him" pointing to Lorcan.

Albus remained silent, not knowing exactly what to do, his expression clearly upset.

"Why you don't seem surprised and angry, Albus?" James asked accusingly.

"James" I said firmly "Not now"

"You too, Rosie" James retorted.

Merlin, help me not to punch him in the face.

"Stop being a jerk to Al and Rosie" Dom yelled desperately "They told me many times to tell Lily, but I'm not brave enough…"

"So you guys knew it?" Lily asked horrified "Am I the only idiot here that didn't know that my ex-boyfriend and my cousin were cheating on me behind my back?" her voice hurt.

"Al, you're a jerk" James said disappointed.

"What about Rosie?" Albus asked pissed off.

Nice, Al. Putting me on the front line so James can judge me with you.

"She kicks hard, also, I don't need to say what she already knows" he replied clearly upset.

Dom had to say it now? Couldn't we have told her later, when she would be calmer?

Or it's better to tell her everything instead of keep lying?

"Ex-boyfriend?" Lorcan asked confused.

Really? Is he really that stupid?

"What?" Lily asked rhetorically, her voice full of anger and disappointment "You expect me to stay with you?"

"Lils…" he tried, but her gaze shut him.

"I'm not stupid, or no longer I am" she said bitterly "It's over, and you are the greatest disappointment of my whole life" Lily was looking to Lorcan, spitting out every single word "Both of you" now she looked to Dom, who started crying even louder "You too" Lily looked now to Albus and I.

And that's when I felt a giant pain in my already damaged heart. I don't think I can handle, but I need to be strong for Lily. Even if she doesn't want to see or talk to me for a long time, I'll always be here for her, and she needs to know that we are family and always will be together supporting each other.

"Lils…" I tried to call her, but her gaze silenced me.

She has the same unnatural power of aunt Ginny and my mum, their gaze paralyses you.

"I'm full of lies" she whispered "Let me alone, all of you" she left, running away and nobody dared to follow her, until Alice and Matteo decided to put the rejected kiss event behind them and join their forces for Lily, running after her.

"YOU'RE A PRAT!" James yelled at Lorcan, attacking him before anyone could stop him.

Roxy and I acted quickly, casting a spell on both of them to stop James from doing stupid things. But it was too late, he already had punched Lorcan in the face.

"Fuck off, James" Lorcan yelled angrily.

"We told you not to hurt her!" Albus yelled accusingly.

Lorcan was holding his face painfully.

"It's not my fault!" he retorted.

Oh please, he's not saying this, is he?

"Shut up" my brother scolded him "Assume your responsibilities, you git!"

Hugo is a decent bloke, like Albus he's not a womaniser, he respects girls, and apparently James and Louis are learning from these past bitter experiences, like fancying a girl that doesn't correspond your feelings and their baby sister/cousin being played by a prat.

"I fell for her!" Lorcan yelled pointing to Dom "And she did fall for me as well!"

"Dom?" Louis asked horrified.

"It was a mistake!" she said sobbing.

"Did you cheat on Stan as well?" Fred asked judging her already.

"Of course not!" she replied angrily.

"I don't know, you cheated on your little cousin" James said harshly.

"That's the last thing we need right now" Roxy stepped in Dom's defence.

"He doesn't deserve Lily nor Dom, we need to support both of them, not be judgmental" I scolded the boys.

"You and Al knew about it and did nothing" James said harshly.

"They did talk to me, stop blaming them!" Dom demanded desperately.

"We can't simply mess up with other people's lives like you're used to do, James" Al scolded his big brother "Of course I wanted to tell Lily, I even had a fight with Dom about it"

"That's true" I confirmed trying to avoid another family fight.

"Why are you so horrified about what Lorcan did?" Dom asked, her voice full of venom "Lorcan is a jerk but he just did what you've done to so many girls before!" she spit it out without hesitating.

Damn it, us Weasley can't keep our mouths shut, that's why the fights never stop around us.

"No I haven't" James denied, but his voice wasn't so sure, trembling in the end.

"Yes, you have" Roxy said "But you just didn't care…"

"Now you can see how much damage you have done…" Dom muttered sadly.

She left the patio, Roxy, Ella and I walked after her.

I noticed how James, Albus, Hugo and Louis stayed there with a bruised Lorcan.

I wanted so much to dine, but Dom needs me now, I can control my loud stomach for her.

What a Sunday!

* * *

This week was really tense, but at least distracted me from my own problems, although it just happened because of my cousins' messed lives. I know, I'm cringy. But what can I do? Instead of self pity and feeling miserable I was doing as much as I could to help Lily and Dom, the main affected by the whole love triangle with Lorcan, while I still had to deal with a guilty Albus and a divided James between punching Lorcan and focusing on his special night with Violet.

I've been pretty busy, I must say.

I managed to skip patrolling with Malfoy after talking to Roxy, I explained everything to her and she was just so amazing for supporting me and letting me patrol alone on the opposite side of the castle from where he would be.

Not that he tried to reach me.

Actually, we don't even exchange glances. We ignore each other completely.

It's been so awkward. I mean, I got so used with his presence, I was starting to open up with him… And then he screwed it up.

I was trying hard not to blame myself, but I shouldn't have allowed myself to get so far with him… I even developed feelings for Malfoy… It's so pathetic.

But I have to be strong, for myself, for my cousins for my whole family.

I still want to say a lot of things to Malfoy, to throw up over him everything I think about it and how much of an asshole he is. Nobody should be treated like this, it's so disrespectful.

What shocks me the most is that I got surprised because he seemed to care for me just like I did to him. How can someone change so much, or was he always like this? I total jerk.

If you asked me last year I would say yes without hesitating… But this year has been so different, I mean, we got along really well.

Maybe that's exactly what a I needed to wake up before it was too late.

But what keeps messing up with my head is why he didn't have the dignity to at least tell me he would rather to stop whatever we were doing? It would have hurt, indeed. But it would be better than him ignoring my existence like if nothing had happened between us for the past months since the beginning of classes and walked around with another girl.

It's awful to finally admit that you like someone and then this person disappoints you so badly… I'm so unlucky.

But just like Roxy told me, he doesn't deserve me and not even my respect, not after being such a jerk.

I finally opened up my feelings with Ella and she was so awesome comforting me as well, saying that I should focus on myself and regain my confidence, so it wouldn't be rough for me anymore to deal with Malfoy.

I can't say I'm totally okay, but I'm in the right path.

I have my family and friends, the greatest support system I could have.

Sometimes I just get sad because I feel like being played around… I really thought we were dealing together with our differences and walking past years of animosity. But it doesn't matter anymore.

"I think we should throw a surprise birthday party for Dom" I muttered to Roxy, we were studying at the Heads common room, Liam sleeping in the couch, Albus trying to read a History of Magic book but too distracted to concentrate.

"I don't know if it's the better moment for a party" Albus said uncertain, leaving the book on the floor beside him and resting his head on the couch.

"I know it may not be the best moment…" I tried to articulate, already feeling insecure about my idea.

"But it would cheer her up" Roxy finished, her expression telling me she enjoys my idea.

"Won't Lily feel… Betrayed by us?" Albus asked me sadly "Again" he muttered.

"I know you two hurt Lily's feelings for not telling her about what you knew" Roxy assumed her older cousin tone, trying to help us - it actually reminded of my mum and grandmas, they always comfort me when I'm not okay - "But there's nothing you can do now if she doesn't want to talk to both of you"

"Yeah…" Albus tried to say more to himself than to us "Perhaps"

"Lily and Dom are hurt and sad, we should try to cheer both of them" I regained my confidence about my idea again "We need to give Lils the space she wants, while she processes everything it shouldn't stop us from doing something great for Dom"

"You're right" Albus agreed, adjusting his glasses "It's just…"

Roxy and I exchanged a sad glance, looking to a sad Albus.

He's such a nice lad, a great brother and cousin, he shouldn't feel so bad, but I still understand he feels this way.

"I feel like I am such a shitty brother" he admitted disappointed with himself.

Poor Albus.

I embraced him tightly, leaving my parchment on the table and taking a seat beside him. Roxy did the same, taking a seat on his other side.

"Uhhh an Albus' sandwich" I tried to lighten up the mood.

Albus chuckled and Roxy smirked.

10 points to Gryffindor!

"I know both of you are upset about the whole Lily and Dom drama" Roxy said "But let's focus on great things, like planning this surprise birthday party!" she exclaimed excited making a sleepy Liam complain on the couch behind us.

She stared pissed off to him, but then her expression was full of love for that boy.

Damn it, they are so cute together and he's so lucky. Probably the only couple that doesn't make me feel uneasy because they have been together for so long.

But I'm not in the mood for couples in general, actually for boys in general.

"So" Albus called our attention "Could you please let me go so we can start planning this party?"

"Such a gentleman" Roxy complimented him, messing his already messed hair, just like uncle Harry's.

She winked to me, our secret language to know exactly what to do in these situations.

Albus looked suspicious between us, worry clear in his face.

"Oh no…" he started to complain but it was too late.

Roxy and I embraced him even tighter, smooching his cheeks just to piss him off.

"Ewwww" he exclaimed, standing up quickly and jumping to the couch, waking up Liam with his weight.

"Duuuuuuude" Liam complained, pushing Albus and making him fall over Roxy and I.

I should be pissed but I just couldn't stop chuckling at Albus and Liam's pissed faces.

"A Head Boy can't even sleep in peace" Liam left us cursing us under his breath before heading to his room.

"I'm not that heavy" Albus said offended.

"Dom will be so glad!" I exclaimed with hope.

"Yep" Roxy agreed, removing our books and parchments from the table with a spell, leaving just unused parchments above it so we could plan properly a huge birthday party for Dom "She never had one and always complained about it"

"But what about Stan?" Al asked us worried.

"He, Hansen and Heather are still in the Ministry as far as I know" I informed them, remembering the letter I got from my mum on Tuesday.

Not only Dom was being called a cheater around the whole school, as her bright new boyfriend was taken into custody for the Ministry of Magic to investigate the crimes occurred during the Triwizard Tournament.

She was devastated, but mainly was worried about Lily. She's feeling so lost, doesn't know what to do.

I tried to talk to Lily but she just talks with Matteo, Molly and Alice, Roxy and James, Hugo and Louis.

I feel so bad for not being able to be with her through such a hard moment, but I understand her reaction about Albus and I.

Lils is so young to be suffering so much for love… It's not worth it…

But when we love someone being rational is almost impossible. If for me, that just found out that I like Malfoy, I've been struggling to deal with this 'break up', I can barely imagine how it's being for Lily.

"Come on" I came back from my unstoppable thoughts "We have a freaking party to throw and it's Thursday already"

* * *

On Friday night before dinner the whole family, less Dom and Lily, met in the Room of Requirement. But it's never easy to get everybody reunited, even if two of our brood are missing.

Hugo and Louis apparently had managed their problems because they were talking like if nothing had happened, Molly was fighting with Lucy for something the latter did, James and Fred were whispering to each other about something, while Roxy, Al and I stood in front of them.

"Hmm" Al tried to call their attention "Family?"

"Al" Roxy scolded him "You need to be more assertive!"

He looked to me, his eyes almost begging.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP" I yelled annoyed, making everybody look to us, finally.

"Someone in on her period" Fred mocked me, earning a pissed glance from all the girls.

He knows we don't like this kind of jokes. He does it on purpose just to piss us off, because he's Fred Weasley II.

"We're serious here, family" Roxy scolded them, her Head Girl tone making they pay attention.

Seriously? We are adolescents, not children. Still they act like we still were eight years old.

"Spit it out then" Lucy said annoyed.

I just find it so funny Lucy and Molls' fights. They always get under each other's skin.

"Feisty" Louis mocked her, chuckling.

"Alright, you bunch of weirdos" I decided to talk so we could go dine because I'm so hungry I could eat the whole night "We are planning a SURPRISE party to Dom tomorrow night here in the Room of Requirement" I highlighted the 'surprise' word.

I noticed how all of them were surprised, beaming at us for the idea.

"That's an awesome idea!" Molly said excited.

"A genius one!" Louis agreed happily.

"That's why we know it's Rose's idea" Lucy said like if it's an obvious statement.

"Hey!" Albus protested insulted.

"I'm not calling you dumb, Albus Severus" Lucy scolded him like Nana Molly, making us giggle.

Damn it, that's why I love my family so much. We just fit together although we're all so different and love to piss off each other.

"But you could" James mocked, chuckling with Albus irritated expression.

"Right" Hugo looked to me "How can we help?" he asked interested.

My brother is so cute, mum would be proud, she and dad raised him well. He's much better than me as well, I have to admit.

"As long as you don't ruin the SURPRISE" Roxy yelled the last word to highlight it.

"What about Lily?" James asked upset.

His mood changing so quickly that he sounds bipolar.

"I'll talk to her" Roxy said reassuringly, her tone making clear to no one interfere about it so she could solve the problem herself.

I find actually really cool that at the same time my cousins are excited to surprise Dom on her birthday, they don't forget how Lily is still upset and hurt. We're in such a delicate position, Lils still needs a time for herself, but it doesn't mean we can't do something cool for Dom.

"Also, I think we should invite just her friends, not the whole school" Molly said.

"Yep, the students already picked their 'team'" Lucy informed us in a pissed tone.

"Team?" I asked, not enjoying how it sounds.

"If they are Team Lily or Team Dom" Hugo explained.

"You guys are still such kids" Fred rolled his eyes.

"That's ridiculous, I didn't hear any of this among sixth and seventh years" Roxy remarked pissed off as well.

Great, now everybody is pissed off.

"That's because we're mature" James said in an arrogant tone.

The whole family glanced to him, all of us utterly gobsmacked.

"We" I said in a mocking tone "Right" I bursted into laughter, being followed by my brother and cousins.

"Why are you making fun of me?" James asked us offended.

"Mature and you just don't fit" Lucy replied like if it was the most obvious thing.

Which for us it is, less for James.

"Fuck off" he told us.

"Anyway" Albus got everybody's attention "We still need your help"

"Yeah, everybody has a role" I informed them "And everything needs to be perfect for tomorrow night"

I heard James groaning in anticipation, he's just so lazy.

"James and Fred, you get the beverages" Roxy said while reading the list we made written in a piece of parchment "Albus and Molly, food"

"Yes" Molly cheered.

She's just like any other Weasley, we eat like trolls.

"Hugo and Louis, you take care of music" she told them, making them elated with their job.

"Lucy and I, decoration" Roxy looked to the youngest Weasley, earning a pissed gaze from her.

Lucy is so adorable when she gets mad, her flamed red locks just fit perfectly with her angry expression.

"Why do I have to do 'decoration'?" she asked like a stubborn child, that she still is.

"Because I order and you obey" Roxy said in a bossy tone, but on purpose, just to irritate Lucy.

James chuckled, since this is his motto towards his young cousins.

"I protest!" she yelled.

"Lucy" I scolded her "Just shut up and do as we told you"

"Stop being a child" Molly scolded her sister as well "Aren't you the one that wanted a karaoke party?"

"Can I do it?" Lucy asked us, her eyes full of hope.

Damn it, she's so bipolar sometimes, she was almost murdering us for telling her what to do and now she's almost begging us to do a karaoke party.

"Lucy singing?" Fred asked in disbelief.

"Shut up, Fred" Lucy rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"Alright" Hugo got to his feet "everything is settled…"

"Then let's go to dinner" I almost yelled, by belly making weird noises.

"Merlin, you're no lady, Rosie" Louis mocked me.

"You still didn't get used to it?" Molly asked him in disbelief.

"Should I?" he retorted.

"Yeah, you're trapped to stay forever around her, mate" Hugo informed him.

"Sod off, Hugo" but I chuckled.

They are so funny, my whole family.

"Oh, and invite who you know is Dom's friend and care for her" Roxy remembered.

"What will Rose do?" Fred asked her.

"I'll be the one distracting Dom and bringing her here for the party" I replied "Now, meeting dismissed"

We all rushed outside, the boys running to the Great Hall like the hungry children they are.

When we arrived there I noticed that Headmistress McGonagall, my mum, uncle Harry and Mrs. Malfoy were standing in front of the teachers' table, our noise making they stop what they were saying.

We earned an angry gaze from my mum while uncle Harry looked to us with his eyes full of nostalgia. I bet the golden trio have done it many times before.

I noticed how Malfoy also looked to us, actually to me, surprised by our entrance. I avoided his gaze just after our eyes met, taking a seat in the Gryffindor table beside Ella.

"Where were you?" Dom asked me, her voice and eyes full of sadness.

"We just got late" I muttered "What's going on?" I asked them.

"Your mum was just about to start talking" Ella informed me.

"Thank you, Weasleys" my mum said sarcastically to us, but smirking in the end.

"Some things never change" Headmistress McGonagall said, looking pointedly to my mum and uncle Harry.

"The Ministry has finished the investigation about the crimes committed during the Triwizard Tournament" Mrs. Malfoy said, her voice full of confidence.

What a woman! How can Malfoy be her son? He's such a prat and she's such a great role model.

"Kristoff Hansen was found guilty for the attack of Amelie Marchand and Roxanne Weasley, also for corrupting a minor, Heather Parkison-Nott, and trying to sabotage the tasks, he's in Azkaban and will no longer be the Headmaster of the Durmstrang Institute" Mrs. Malfoy said firmly.

A few murmurs could be heard from the Durmstrang students seated among us in all the tables. Who would be with them now?

"What about Stan?" I heard Dom asking my mum, who managed to lip read.

"Stanislav Krum has proved no involvement in the case, and will return as soon as possible" my mum informed us, looking to Dom to reassure her "He'll be accompanied by his father, Viktor Krum, who will take Mr. Hansen's spot as interim Headmaster"

Now everybody started to talk loudly, Viktor Krum is one of the most famous Quidditch players of all time and ironically dated my mum when she was at fourth year.

"Dad will be so pleased" Hugo muttered to me.

We chuckled lightly, dad is so funny.

"It means that the Tournament will continue" Mrs. Malfoy continued "The third task will take place in the last Sunday of this month, so I suggest our champions to keep following their clues to prepare for the last task"

Uncle Harry noticed Lily's absence and looked worried to James, who mouthed something to him I didn't manage to understand.

After they finished talking, Headmistress McGonagall allowed us to finally attack the delicious food over the table and my mum, uncle Harry and Mrs. Malfoy to join us.

While my mum and uncle Harry walked to our table I noticed how Mrs. Malfoy took a seat beside Malfoy and Albus, being happily greeted by her son who engulfed her in a tight a caring embrace.

Bloody hell, it's so cute to see him being so nice to his mum… He doesn't even look like an asshole… She caressed his face with affection before greeting Al happily. She seems to be so nice…

Malfoy noticed me staring and I averted my eyes from him, right on time to embrace my mum and my uncle.

"How are you, darling?" mum asked me, taking a seat beside me in front of Hugo.

Uncle Harry joined us, taking a seat beside James in front of me.

I noticed how the other students who weren't my family and friends looked shocked to us. The Minister for Magic and the Head of the Auror Department who happen to be ⅔ of the Golden Trio having a dinner in Hogwarts? Quite a rare view.

"Thank you, now everybody is staring at us" Lucy scolded my mum and uncle Harry playfully, earning a warm beam from them.

We have such an special relationship between uncles and aunties and nephews and nieces in our family, we just love each other so much.

"Hugo Granger-Weasley" my mum scolded him for eating like a pig "I teached you manners, sir"

"Sorry, mum" he replied embarrassed, his mouth full of potatoes, pork and something else.

He's so gross sometimes.

"You can't blame him" uncle Harry told mum "He is Ron's son"

"Hello, family" Teddy joined us happily.

"Now we're almost complete" James remarked sadly.

Lucy already was seated in the Gryffindor table, Molly and Albus also joined us, leaving the Hufflepuff and Slytherin tables so we could dine together.

"Can I join you?" a small voice asked us, Lily standing behind her father looking uncertain to Dom.

"It's not family without you" Dom replied, embracing Lily firmly before placing her between her and uncle Harry.

I beamed relieved, seeing the same expression in my brother and cousins' faces. Finally good news.

"We missed you, Lils" I said tenderly to her.

She placed her hand over mine reassuringly, beaming broadly to me.

I noticed how Alice joined Frank in the Ravenclaw table and Matteo took a seat beside his aunt, embracing her tenderly as well, after they probably arrived with Lily at the a Great Hall.

Such awesome friends they are to Lily.

Matteo is a really great guy, I doubt he would ever hurt Lily on purpose, like Lorcan did.

"Here is my fierce little girl" uncle Harry embraced Lily protectively "You're just as strong as your mum"

"Actually, Lils' Bat-Bogey Hex is even worse than mum's" Albus remarked, gulping.

"Glad you know" Lily replied cheekily.

Between small talks and mocking each other, I finished my meal glad to see my family reunited, with my mum and uncle Harry spending some time with all of us.

These are the times when I realise how lucky I am and how life is much more than a broken heart and a stupid boy…

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hey folks! I hope you like Chapter 27!

I'll try to update more frequently, but also I hope that you guys review to me, it's very important and it helps me to keep writing! I love to know what you guys think and it always help me!

Thank you to my reviewers from last chapter:

 _AhsokaAmidala34_ – Thank you so much for your words, it warms my heart! I think that it's very important to have this feminist speech and I'm glad that you support me! You saved me from being severely depressed because I thought nobody was going to review, so thank you for being such a great reader! Hope you like this chapter and to read more reviews of you!

 _Guest_ – Update is here, folk!

Without further ado,

 _Binki_


	28. Suck It and See

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, as per usual! Jo Rowling is the brilliant mind behind the Wizarding World!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twenty-Eight – Suck It and See**

Saturday so far has been crazy. I had never seen my family so dedicated to do something for someone else, and doing it together, like a team.

Nana Molly and Grandpa Arthur would be so proud, because we're hardly ever at total peace and cooperating to each other, someone is always bickering, making our traditional family meetings chaotic.

But this time we don't want to mess up a situation that's already way too delicate.

We told Lily our plan and she got surprisingly excited. I still have to talk to Lily, but she's been acting so mature for her age and so not-Lily. Don't get me wrong, Lily isn't a spoiled little brat, but being the youngest daughter with two older brothers, she knows ways to manipulate everyone around her to make things how she wants. Not intentionally, she's just used to it.

But I don't blame her, being the youngest I would have my tricks to make things my own way as well. Not entirely her fault.

Anyway, it's really good to see how she's improving. Not everybody overcomes a rough time of our life with such grace like Lily is doing, to put your energy into personal growth is a very rational and mature reaction, even more if you consider how young Lily still is.

But that's exactly the point, sometimes we need bad moments to happen with us so we can really grow and develop as human beings. Life is not easy, and that's it.

Back to reality, during the whole day I have been trying to distract Dom and keep in touch with the rest of my family so we could be sure everything was going well.

After getting the beverages with Fred, and I don't know how they get so much of them so easily, James disappeared, probably putting his plan to have his first night with Violet in action.

I suggested him to wait until after Dom's birthday party, but he seemed so desperate that didn't even give me attention. He sounded nervous and insecure, and I had never seen James like this. He lost his virginity when he was in Fourth Year to a Seventh Year girl, so experience isn't the problem that is really bothering him.

'I've shagged many times before' he told me this afternoon when he left the Room of Requirement when I went there to check on everybody, 'But I've never made love', he whispered tense.

I should say that I am happy that James finally found someone he loves to have such an intimate and special moment, but my instinct just stopped me from doing so. Something doesn't sound right. I don't trust Violet, her relationship with James is extremely problematic, and I'm really afraid he may get hurt. I know, how ironic, James Potter, Hogwarts' womanizer, the official manwhore, being hurt by a girl? And such a 'flower' like Violet?

As I've said before, she's too perfect to be that perfect. I don't trust her, never really liked her. She bothers me, and I bet the feeling is mutual.

As much as James has been a prat to girls in the past, I don't think anyone deserves to be hurt… Unless if this someone's last name is Malfoy.

But I better not think about him getting hurt on purpose…

"Merlin" Lucy complained, her arms carrying what seemed to be a heavy box "You're always unaware of this world"

"Sorry, uncle Percy" I rolled my eyes at her, giggling when she did the same as me.

"Since you have muggle grandparents, could you please help me?" she asked me frustrated.

"What's this?" I peeked the box, noticing that there was an Xbox and a DVD player.

"Muggle stuff" she replied to me, taking me out of where would be the dance floor.

"I can't take long, Ella is in our dormitory with Dom but I need to keep an eye on her myself" I informed Lucy, helping her take all of the 'muggle stuff' out of the box.

"Fine" Lucy said, trying to understand how to manage the equipment.

"Where did you get these?" I asked her impressed "I mean, electricity doesn't work in Hogwarts…"

"Grandpa Arthur, who else?" she asked me like if it is the most obvious thing in the world.

Actually, I felt really stupid for not thinking about my grandpa Arthur. He's fascinated with muggle stuff and always try to adapt them to the Wizarding World.

"Apparently, these are Hugo's old stuff that he gave to grandpa so he could try to fix it" Lucy explained to me "Not only he fixed…" she placed the Xbox and the DVD player above a large table "... as it works without electri-something"

"Electricity" I corrected her.

Lucy grimaced, she hates that she just can't get some muggle words, because Lucy loves the muggle world as much as grandpa Arthur, that's their bond. She pressed the On button, and the Xbox started to work.

"Wow" I said impressed "Grandpa nails"

"Totally, right?" she said rhetorically, making me chuckle at her impressed reaction.

A TV appeared above my head, Lucy levitating it and placing above the table beside the DVD player and the Xbox. Soon, the TV was on as well, connected with the Xbox.

"So, what's your idea?" I asked her curiously.

"Hugo showed me this 'Just Dance' game, I thought it would be a cool idea" Lucy showed me the DVDs.

"Oh yeah" I agreed "We used to play at lot when we spent vacation at my grandparents' house in muggle London"

"Are you insane?" she retorted "I would play every day if I had one of these"

I giggled at her reaction. Lucy is just phenomenal, such a personality.

"Also, I always wanted a karaoke party" she showed me the other DVDs she got "But these are just muggle songs"

"Actually I think everybody is gonna love muggle songs" I told her, reading the track list.

Just British muggle artists, but all of them were very good. Mum says that my grandparents still have some friends at their house to a 'karaoke party', that's when Lucy got fascinated about it.

"Hugo showed me a few already" Lucy said, placing everything where she wanted.

Right after everything seemed to be in their right place, Lucy decided that she wanted a table on the opposite side of the 'Just Dance' table just for the karaoke, almost making Roxy insane. They had to change everything and enlarge the Room so now there were three areas, not separated, but with enough space for each of them.

"Next time remind me to not let her take care of decoration, please" Roxy muttered to me, earning a pissed glance of Lucy.

She hears everything, it's impossible to whisper something beside Lucy and not want her to know.

Before I could say anything, Albus appeared with Molly and someone else, all of them with loads of boxes probably full of food.

"Watch out, Weasel" a voice called me out before a levitating box could hit my face.

I almost squinted if the voice wasn't Malfoy's.

Did he really just dare talk to me after everything he has done?

I eyed him pissed off, not daring to say anything about it in front of my family.

Instead, I opted for our usual dynamic.

"What is he doing here, Albus?" I questioned my cousin, my tone of voice clearly mad.

Albus gulped when I talked to him, his eyes wide in fear. Poor boy, I'm such a bad cousin. It's not like he knows what his best friend did to me, anyway…

"Sod off, Weasel" Malfoy interrupted Albus before he could say anything "I'm helping"

"Clearly" I retorted "But it's a family thing here…"

"Always the 'family' excuse" he rolled his eyes.

I complained quietly, cursing under my breath as Roxy kept looking between the two of us as the others got back to their duties.

"Really" Roxy approached Malfoy and I "You two better not ruin tonight, Dom already had a rough week"

"Sure" Malfoy said simply, like if it was not his fault.

"Don't play dumb with me, Scorpius" Roxy warned him "You're being a bloody asshole to Rosie…" she said before I could stop her.

Malfoy looked surprised to her, not expecting anyone to know about… us…

"But she also has a short temper" Roxy's gaze shut me before I could complain "You should solve whatever problems you two have because this sexual tension will soon explode"

And she left us there, mouth agape, eyes wide with surprise.

Malfoy seemed dumbfounded, I could see him processing the new information, and that's when I decided to take a look on him.

His hair was tousled as usual, the long sleeves of his shirts rolled to his elbows, purple marks under his grey eyes, he seemed thinner as well.

But why? I just don't get it… I mean, Dom was looking like this, Lily as well, and even me, but since this week distracted me from my own problems I got back to sleeping and eating properly. What I mean is that we just look like this when we're not feeling well, when something or someone is pissing us off or when you're feeling guilty.

As far as I know Malfoy has just been snogging a random chick, what is he bad about? Being an asshole? I sincerely don't think he cares…

"What are you staring at?" he asked aggressively to me, his defensive tone clear in his annoying voice.

Why should I know him so well?

"I'm trying to abstract your presence so I don't punch you in your face" I muttered, my tone firm and I was so proud of myself for being tough with him.

"Why would you do it?" he asked, his tone amused.

Seriously? Someone is bipolar, I just can't cope with his humour oscillation.

I rolled my eyes at his question, how can someone be so blunt? Or worse, cynical.

I could reply to him in so many different ways, I could simply and totally ignore his presence by just walking away without even glancing to him a second time, or I could just display how pleased I am for his presence with a grimace and leave him there as well, perhaps I could roll my eyes and show how irate with him I am, I also could mock him so he could know again how much I despise him.

But then what Lucy told me last week after noticing how sad I was hit me strongly: ' _Whatever is bothering you, Rosie, remember, what life wants from us is courage, you can fix it, you always know what to do'_.

I've been thinking for quite a long time now that I have a bunch of things to tell Malfoy because I won't let him simply walk away from me like nothing ever happened and as if I am nothing, it's disrespectful and rude and I won't be treated like this.

It's tough for me to say it but getting away this week from my own problems helped me to finally build the courage inside of me to finally sort my things out with the jerk.

I need this and he also does, so I can finally move on in peace with myself.

' _...what life wants from us is courage'_ , I remembered again Lucy's words.

How can a twelve year old be so wise? She's also a weirdo, but every Weasley, and Potter, is a weirdo as well.

Courage, I'm a Gryffindor, I have to honour who I am and what I believe.

Merlin, I overthink way too much.

' _But not overthinking it's what got you trapped in the prat's arms'_ my consciousness (oh hey, long time no see) reminded me bitterly.

"I'm done, Malfoy" I notified him, my voice serious as I looked into his eyes without hesitation before turning around so I could get out of the Room of Requirement.

"What do you mean?" he asked me almost desperate, but with his voice still under control.

Funny how I still could read him even when he thought his walls were up, I learned how to do it, and as tough as it is, it's not a total mystery to me anymore.

"You should rethink what you have done is the past weeks" I said, being straightforward, turning my body to face him again.

And for the first time, I noticed how intimidated he was by me. Is he feeling insecure? But why?

Where I found my guts to talk to him like this, I don't know. I've been so sensible this past week that I didn't think that I would be able to talk to him so rationally, I thought it would take me a longer time.

But perhaps the fact that he still needs to listen to me so I can put some reasoning in his empty head may have a huge influence in how I am being able to keep up with the whole situation.

I noticed how his eyes were trying to read me, surprise clear about my words.

"Then we can have a proper conversation instead of keep acting like nothing ever happened" I said firmly, my eyes never averting from his.

Before he could say anything I walked calmly out of the Room, until I was out of his sight, then I ran like crazy to the Gryffindor Tower, feeling relieved to finally being brave enough to say what I wanted to since Malfoy acted like a pig.

I beamed with the sudden feeling of not having a giant burden to bear. Finally I acted like a proper Gryffindor, it was about time.

But then, considering that he really does rethink about his shit, and he really comes to talk to me, what will I do? Will he apologise? Why do I expect him to do so? Should I?

Malfoy gives me headache even when he barely says anything, I'm already tired of him and that's the first time we properly talked after he totally screwed up everything we had, whatever it is.

"Why are you looking so alive for the first time in forever?" Dom asked me when I entered our bedroom, my cheeks red after running for so long.

"Alive?" I asked confused.

"Yeah, you've been a zombie since Halloween" she mocked me before I threw a pillow straight to her face.

"Says the queen of zombies" I retorted, making her chuckle.

Now that's a sound that warms my heart.

"But I have my reasons" suddenly she was sad again, her eyes lost somewhere else.

"Me too" I muttered, laying beside her on her bed.

"What kind of problems Rose Granger-Weasley may have?" Dom asked rhetorically "Your life is perfect"

I chuckled for a long time after Dom said this, she really has no idea.

"Indeed I can complain" I told her, resting my head on my palm "We're all very privileged"

"Rosie" Dom turned to me, her eyes serious "You're stunning, inside and out, you have giant heart and unique personality, you're a very strong and independent girl, you don't get attached to assholes, your parents and family are very proud of you and do I still have to point out how you're a genius?"

"Woah" I said baffled "What are all these compliments?" I asked, blushing slightly.

I'm not used to them.

But Dom is wrong, I got attached to the ultimate asshole of Hogwarts.

"The truth" she replied simply "That's how I see you, just like everybody else"

"I wish" I said sincerely, sometimes I feel quite out of place and a heartless selfish bitch.

I don't know, I'm such a weirdo.

"Stop with the self-deprecating" she warned me, rolling her eyes.

I remained silent, I don't know if I should bother her with my problems. She already has so much. At the same time, I want her to be a part of my life as much as she is to me, I don't like keeping secrets from her since she doesn't do that.

"What's up with you?" she asked me, aware that something was wrong.

"You already have too much on…" I tried to say, but she interrupted me.

"Rosie" she said, her expression serious and the most serene I have seen recently "You're always by my side, I want to be by yours as well"

"I know, Dom" I told her "I just don't want to bother you, not right now when you're going through so much already"

"Please, I mean it" Dom retorted "You never bother me, just during Christmas, you're a pain in the ass on Christmas' Eve"

I pushed her, almost making her fall from her bed.

"Sod off, Dom"

"Seriously" she looked to me, a stern look on her face "I need to know my life is not the only one that sucks"

I rolled my eyes, that's so Dominique, she always manages to make fun even in the serious and tense situations.

"Fine" I gave up, Ella and Roxy already know about Malfoy and I, it's time to tell Dom.

"Please don't tell me you're pregnant!" she almost begged me.

"What?" I almost choked "I'm a virgin!"

"Thank you, Merlin" she sighed relieved "You're way too young to be a mum"

"Let's focus" I complained, not even daring to think about me getting pregnant at fifteen.

Almost sixteen, I may add.

"Spit it out, then" Dom said exasperated "You're making me nervous"

"Promise me you won't freak out?" I asked uncertain.

Why I am feeling like this I don't even know. I'm just nervous to reveal my secret.

I've kept it for quite a long time considering how Hogwarts' students love to gossip and how my own family doesn't understand the concept of 'privacy'.

"I can't promise anything" she blurted out sincerely "I'm under an unstable state of mind"

"I'vebeensnoggingMalfoyforthepasttwomonths" I almost threw up while confessing my sins.

Dom's eyes got wide, her mouth agape.

I stared desperately to her, waiting for a reaction.

But nothing came.

It's even worse than if she scolded me for being so bloody stupid.

"Say something, for Merlin's beard" I almost begged, feeling my palms getting sweat with tension.

Then she beamed broadly, her eyes glittering with excitement.

I was not expecting it, for sure.

"But wait" her face fell "Isn't he going out with that French girl?"

"Yeah" I replied quietly, looking to my hands sadly.

I hate to remember how he messed up things, we were doing so well.

"Damn it" she suddenly exclaimed, standing up quickly "I'm going to murder that jerk!"

Dom walked towards the door, but before she could open it I stopped her.

"Where do you think you're going?" I asked her desperate.

"That's why you've been so upset" she said without waiting any reply for me, just stating a fact "Now it makes sense"

"Can we please get back to your bed?" I tried to sound calm but I couldn't let her get out of our bedroom.

"Don't cry for that prat" Dom ignored me, embracing me tightly as I finally felt some tears in my eyes.

I have been avoiding my own problems during the whole week, but now that I'm talking about it again it seems like all the disappointment came back, hitting me hard as Dom comforted me.

She sat on her bed, leading me to lay on her lap, her fingers caressing my long and ginger hair.

"I'm trying" I confessed.

We stayed like this for long, and if there's something that I adore about my family, is that silence never feels uncomfortable.

I think it just shows how much we're connected as family and friends.

"You like him" Dom affirmed without hesitating.

"I do" I replied, also without hesitating.

"Indeed" she muttered "This year everybody is insane"

I chuckled with her, if there's something our whole family agrees is about it.

"Both of us crying over boys" Dom said "Who could have imagined it would happen?" she asked rhetorically.

"I just feel a mess" I muttered, sitting in front of her and drying my face.

"You look like one" she smirked to me, making me beam at her foolishness.

"You too" I mocked her.

"I know how it feels, Rosie" Dom said after a short time of a comfortable silence "But look here we are, alive and well"

"As much as possible" I added playfully.

"All I know is that Malfoy is even more dumb that I always thought he was" she muttered "I'm not being biased, but you're the most amazing girl he could have found here in Hogwarts" Dom embraced me "He'll sooner or later realise how he did a huge mistake"

"He doesn't know I like him though" I told her "I tried to, but that's when I found out he had snogged Arabella"

"Such a cool name" Dom confessed to me.

"I know, I can't hate her" I said "It's his fault, she actually was very polite when asked if we were a couple"

"What?" Dom asked me shocked "This girl has no boundaries"

"She's like Effie" I said.

"Effie is worse" Dom said "She's going out with your little brother!"

"Don't remind me!" I begged her this time, hiding my face on her pillow "It's gross"

"More disturbing just the fact that you admitted that you, Rose Weasley, like Scorpius bloody Malfoy" Dom said sincerely.

"I know' I told her "I feel quite pathetic actually"

"You're the queen of self deprecation"

"That's the best way to deal with the rough times" I muttered, my voice muffled by the pillow.

"What are you gonna do?" Dom asked me worried.

Suddenly I felt that for the first time she forgot about her own problems, and although I don't like to talk about my own, it's time for her to get distracted.

I'm glad I can help her, even if it's not the best for me.

That's what family is for after all.

"I kind of finally got my guts sorted and told him off" I said "I basically notified him that we are going to talk and for him to rethink all the shit he has done in the past weeks"

"Woah" Dom praised me satisfied "That's my Rosie!"

"I just hope I don't regret it" I admitted, insecure if I did the right thing.

"You're Rose bloody Weasley" Dom rolled her eyes to me "You always make the right decisions"

"Dominique" I scolded her "You overestimate me"

"No, Rosie" she muttered, pushing me out of her bed so I fell on mine beside hers "You underestimate yourself way too much"

I rolled my eyes at her for expelling me from her bed.

"Let's take a nap" I suggested, indeed I'm feeling exhausted this week and that's the best way to waste some time until I have to take her to the Room of Requirement.

"That's why we are cousins" Dom said giggling "You just read my mind"

I chuckled, getting under my duvet.

"Rosie" she called me before I closed the curtains with a spell.

"Yeah, Dom?"

"I'm always here for you, ginger" she said tenderly.

I beamed to her, feeling really safe for having her support as well.

"We have each other's backs" I guaranteed to her.

She got under her duvet as well and I closed the duvets.

Emma and Effie were somewhere else but they know how I'm trying to keep Dom distracted so they won't wake us up.

Effie is probably snogging my little brother but seriously, I already had enough to worry about.

Hugo can take care of himself and Effie… Well, Effie is insane, they will be fine.

"And Rosie?" Dom called me again before I could finally sleep.

"Hm?" I asked her sleepily.

"Kick Malfoy's ass"

I chuckled at her choice of words, promising myself I would totally do it, even if I had to literally do it.

* * *

I woke up before Dom, noticing how Effie and Emma left our bedroom silently ready for the party, Effie always displaying a unique sense of style while Emma is more casual. I love both their styles, I love any style that expresses the person's personality, that's true style.

I wish I had mine, I don't know if I do.

I've always been more into jeans, baggy shirts, sweaters, combat boots and sneakers, and during summer I look like a hippie just like Ella, because her long skirts, her long dresses and top cropped just won my heart through the years.

Lucy told me I'm still figuring out my personality and that I'm doing great, she told me that when she was ten so I better believe her.

I decided to took a long shower and let Dom sleep a bit more before I opted for my usual boots with a shirt long enough to be a dress, I need to look like we're just going to dinner after all, and since that's how I usually dress, Dom won't find it suspicious.

I already had a plan and I hope it works, everybody is putting so much effort into this surprise, I can't ruin in.

But no pressure, right?!

"Dom" I tried to wake her up "Let's go, it's dinner time"

"I'm fine" she replied sleepy.

Merlin, Weasleys are terrible so to wake up…

"Dom…" I almost begged "I'm hungry"

"You always are" she muttered annoyed.

"But if you don't feed me I'll keep pissing you off" I informed her mischievously.

She ignored me, covering her head with her pillow.

"Dommmmmmmm" I approached her, almost yelling in her ear as I tried to pull away her pillow.

Nothing yet.

Merlin, she's even worse than me, I pity Ella right now, she always has the tough task to wake me up.

"Dom" I tried my weakest and saddest voice "I also want to show you something before dinner…"

My tone of voice caught her attention as she looked me from under the pillow, just opening one eye and staring at me suspiciously.

"What?" she asked cautiously.

"Another thing I've been hiding from you…" I tried to sound as mysterious as possible so she could get so curious about it that it would defeat her stubbornness.

"What kind of thing?" she questioned me.

"Merlin, Dom!" I became impatient, rolling my eyes "Something that helped me to cope with my sadness that I want to show you so it can help you as well"

I hope it works because I ran out of ideas.

She blinked, trying to identify anything suspicious.

Why is she being such a Sherlock?

Perhaps because disappointments make you more cautious about everything in your life, people, dreams and expectations, reality.

I understand her, seems like we grow so much after being disappointed by someone we like, or worse, love.

Also, we become more sceptical towards life, which is positive for making us more prepared to deal with obstacles, but is negative as well, considering how some adults don't even have dreams anymore.

Life is so ambiguous, it drives me insane.

And I already am way too insane for my taste.

"Fine, Satan" she gave up, stretching her body tiredly.

"Hey" I complained, she won't call me like this when she finds out about her surprise.

But at least she agreed to come with me and she has no idea about it.

"Let's go" she called me, already on the door.

"Are you sure you want to go like this?" I asked her, trying not to sound too insulting and also not to give any clues that actually we're going not only to a party, but to her surprise birthday party.

"What's wrong?" she retorted pissed off.

"Well…" I looked to her still in her baggy and old pyjamas, her hair a mess "When was the last time you took a shower?"

She looked horrified to me, insulted for my question.

"Fuck off, Rosie" Dom complained, rolling her eyes.

"I'll wait just five minutes" I warned her, watching as she gave up and entered the bathroom.

I decided to choose her clothes, since Dom has just been wearing pyjamas for the last week and I don't trust her fashion sense anymore.

She would probably kill me, but if I choose one of her short and glamorous dresses she'll get suspicious, so I ended up picking black tight pants, combat boots (every girl in our family love them) and a simple grey shirt.

"Seriously?" she asked annoyed.

"You woke up moody, uh?" I teased her "I told you you had to be quick"

Soon she'll be nice again.

"I didn't wake up" she complained grimacing to me "I'm in zombie mode to be supportive to whatever you have to show me"

"Sure" I rolled my eyes.

As we left the Gryffindor Tower and walked to the Room of Requirement, Dom kept complaining through the whole way.

"It's cold, I'm hungry now, I only have you" she kept babbling.

"Hey" I protested "I'm an awesome company"

"You're quite annoying" she said but smirked to me.

"Also" now her tone of voice was serious "I miss Stan, and mum and dad, and Vic…"

"You're such a crying baby" I mocked her "We both know it's a cruel world"

"Suddenly you became so poetic…" she pointed out impressed.

"I've always been" I replied.

Dom chuckled, not believing me.

At least she's been beaming more lately, she's been very miserable since Heather's revelation to the whole bloody school.

"But Lucy has been inspiring me" I admitted, remembering for the second time in the day what she told me last week when she noticed how sad I was.

"Of course she is" Dom mocked me.

We finally arrived in front of a blank wall.

Dom looked between me and the wall.

"What are we doing in front of the Room of Requirement?" she asked me confused.

At least she's not suspicious anymore, I don't have any more ideas.

"What helped me to get through my problems is inside" I simply said as a giant door appeared in front of us.

I hope the bastards don't make any noise or I'll punch each one of them in their faces.

"Rosie?" Dom asked me uncertain.

"Open it, Dom" I told her encouragingly.

She pushed the door slowly and I ushered her inside.

Suddenly, the dark room turned its lights on, revealing a bunch of people.

Before Dom could say anything everybody yelled "SURPRISEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE"

"What the bloody hell?" she yelled confused, her eyes wide looking between me and all of our family and friends.

"Surprise!" I yelled to her, opening my arms for a hug "Happy Birthday, weirdo! I love you!"

"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT, ROSIE!" she yelled, her eyes full of tears, a broad and genuine beam on her gorgeous face.

Finally a hint of life on her expression, I missed her so much.

"I hope you like it!" I said, pushing her forward.

Suddenly everybody approached us cheerfully, engulfing Dom with tight embraces and kisses on her cheek.

This affection is much welcome.

I noticed how the room was packed, our whole family, friends, roommates, Teddy and a stunning blonde beside him.

"VIC!" Dom yelled elated, embracing her older sister, my oldest cousin, after such a long time apart.

"Now even I am surprised" I told Roxy.

"Teddy surprised everybody" she replied to me happily.

Vic is such an amazing woman, I miss her so much as well.

But before I could also embrace her, Dom interrupted all the conversations and called for everybody's attention.

"I just wanted to say a few words" she said firmly "First of all, I want to publicly apologise to my cousin Lily"

I looked around and noticed how now everybody was surprised.

Only Dominique Weasley would surprise those who just surprised her with a surprise birthday party.

Lily was standing confused but seemed really touched by Dom's actions and words.

"I didn't act properly with you, I was selfish and disrespectful" Dom said sincerely, never looking to the ground, just to Lily "I tried to stop seeing him, but he wouldn't stop insisting, and that's when I fell for Stan"

I noticed how he just had arrived, he was just behind Dom but probably noticed it was an important moment before he could interrupt her.

Also, nobody gave him much attention, everybody was focused on Dom and Lily.

"It doesn't justify my actions, I hope one day you can forgive me" Dom said firmly, her voice never hesitating.

Merlin, women in our family are so bloody strong, I adore it.

"But unfortunately I had to learn in the most difficult way how betraying someone you love is never worth it, and I wouldn't do it ever again" she continued, her blue eyes never leaving Lily's brown ones "So I'm deeply and truly sorry I hurt you, Lils, I love you and it kills me inside that I left you so disappointed"

The whole room was silent, just waiting for Lily's reaction.

"Of course I forgive you" she muttered, her voice also firm "Everybody commits mistakes, and I know you're being sincere"

They hugged tightly, tears streaming down both their faces.

Merlin, even I had tears in my eyes, a few had already escaped.

It's so nice to see my family united again, a boy can never ruin what we have.

"Group hug!" Lucy yelled, making all the Weasleys, Potter and close friends burst into laughter.

Typical Weasley behaviour, a tradition in our family.

Our parents started it, when we were little we used to fight with each other so much that to make peace our parents used to make us apologise and 'group hug'. It stuck, even though we are not children anymore.

I could see Fred, Roxy, Molly, Hugo, Louis, Victoire, Teddy, Albus, Alice, Matteo, Liam, Amelie, Lucy, Ella, Jack, Lysander.

But where the bloody hell is James?

I hadn't listened to his loud voice and now I noticed how he's not in our family group hug. And James never loses one.

Also, I noticed grey eyes staring directly to me, his expression mysterious, but I could notice a hint of frustration in his arched eyebrows, like if he couldn't understand something that seemed so obvious.

It isn't obvious that I unfortunately like him…

Actually, although I indeed developed these feelings inside of me, what he did left me so disappointed that I'm focusing in the healing process rather in keeping what I feel.

It's better to be rational when we get upset, but not necessarily easier.

I averted his gaze, turning my attention back to my cousins.

"Also" Dom continued, her eyes full of tears "I wanted to thank everybody who plotted this surprise, I always wanted to have one and it couldn't have happened in a better time"

"It was Rose's genius idea" Lucy shouted nonchalantly.

Dom looked tenderly to me.

Great, now everybody is looking to me, I hate being the centre of attention.

I felt my cheeks reddening, just like my ears, a typical Weasley thing.

"Thank you, Rosie" Dom said happily.

"But all of us helped" Lucy complained.

"Merlin, shut up" Molly mocked her sister, making everybody laugh.

"Right" Dom chuckled, rolling her eyes "Thank you to all of my family and friends, I love all of you and couldn't be thankful enough…"

I always get quite emotional when people express their feelings so freely like this, family, friendship, love, such valuable things, the most important we have.

I'm so bloody lucky to have such amazing human beings around me.

"But especially to my family, my favourite bunch of weirdos, the most exquisite people I know, and also the most annoying…" Dom was saying when Lucy interrupted her.

Again. As usual.

"We know you love us" Lucy shouted.

"I think is past Lucy's bedtime" Louis mocked her, earning an annoyed glance from her.

"Shut up" Roxy complained.

"As I was saying…" Dom said, like if implying how she was right "Although we fight all the time and piss each other and I can't stand all of you most of the time, you guys are my greatest supporters and I appreciate that not only we are family, we're best friends"

Sounds of appreciation could be heard and I giggled with the reactions.

"Can we eat now?" I asked sincerely "I'm hungry"

Dom rolled her eyes but beamed to me.

"LET'S PARTY!" she exclaimed, and a loud and cheerful song started playing, other friends coming to congratulate her.

But Stan was the first to appear, making Dom squeal happily, embracing him tightly with emotion. They stayed like this for a time before she greeted other friends, but her eyes always finding Stan again, like if to make sure he wouldn't leave her again.

Oh, being in love and reciprocated…

I just need food. Food never disappointed me in the last years, never. And it gives you more pleasure than boys do.

I walked quickly to the table full of food, wondering whether I should get pumpkin pastries or pizza first, or both. What a dilemma, that's my family right now.

I looked around me, observing what my family was doing, I enjoy watching people, how they act spontaneously when they don't know they are being observed, everybody seems so careless, just enjoying the moment.

Lucy was already ruling the karaoke, a Durmstrang boy selecting a muggle song to sing; Effie and Roxy were playing a Just Dance as a crowd gathered around them to watch; my brother, Louis and their friends were on the dance floor with Liam and Jack; Ella and a group of girls from Beauxbatons and Lysander were on the puffs chatting, while Lily and Dom were talking and hugging all the time.

Amen everything is alright between them, after the party au need to talk to Lils.

I felt an odd sensation, the one a I get when someone is gazing at me, and just as I turned around I noticed who was making me uncomfortable, the one and only Scorpius Malfoy.

Albus was beside him talking about something at the bar, but he didn't seem to listen.

What a jerk, he's incapable of being decent even to his best friend.

I rolled my eyes pissed off, perhaps I should try the karaoke, but I think I need alcohol to really do it.

But Albus and Malfoy are at the bar, I want to avoid his presence as much as I can.

On the other hands Malfoy has been acting so strangely since we met earlier, perhaps a I could test him, since seeing him like this make me more comfortable and confident, I know, I'm kind of fucked up.

But when I noticed he's fragile it gives me strength.

Breath in, breath out, Rosie. You can do it.

I remembered once again Lucy's words, 'what life wants from us is courage'.

Before I could overthink, again, I just walked to the bar, placing beside Albus, who has Malfoy by his other side.

I could feel his glance over new but I ignored it, getting a fire whiskey because I need its effects to help me cope with the whole night and a weird Malfoy looking to me all the time.

If he's going to do it the whole night, then he will certainly see a happy and strong Rose, I won't let him know that he really hurt my feelings.

"What do you think, Rosie?" Albus asked me, completely unaware of the tension between me and Malfoy.

"About?" I retorted.

"I'm telling Scorpius he shouldn't be upset about Arabella because girls are complicated" Albus told me, worry clear in his face.

"I'm not upset about her" Malfoy protested rolling his eyes, clearly annoyed about Albus insisting otherwise.

What the bloody hell is going on? Trouble in paradise? Why aren't Malfoy and Arabella together like the past weeks and why is he upset?

But do I really wanna know?

"What about Arabella?" I asked Albus without trying to sound annoying, he has no idea about how much the subject upsets me, so I need to chill.

"We're not together" he said this time, looking directly to me, his tone of voice clearly pissed off and almost angry.

Why does he look so mad?

"Oh" I pretended to be sad "I'm so sorry, Malfoy" a grimace on my face.

He just looked to be gobsmacked, probably not expecting this reaction, then clearly annoyed again, probably realising how fake I'm being.

I can promise only one thing for myself tonight: I won't make it easy for Malfoy ever again.

"Rosie" Albus looked happily to me "You're being so nice recently"

I tried not to feel insulted by Albus' words, what does he mean? That usually I am not a nice person?

Sod off, Albus! You're annoying as hell.

I rolled my eyes instead.

But indeed, I know I'm not an easy person to deal with, and actually I'm not ashamed by it, I'm really proud of myself.

Perhaps not because of the best reasons, but I'm still too young to take myself so serious.

Although I feel like an old lady more than half of the time.

"Boys are much more complicated than girls, seriously" I said, looking to Albus and ignoring his presence.

"The hell we are" Albus disagreed vehemently "I still don't understand Ella and she's probably the most relaxed and apparently uncomplicated girl I ever met"

"Well, mate" Malfoy said, caution clear in his voice "Perhaps now you understand" he pointed his head to the far wall beside the dance floor, where Ella and one of the Beauxbatons' girls were snogging.

Well.

Even I am surprised.

Indeed, Ella never talked much about her feelings and she doesn't go out and snog, she's so chill about all of it.

"Damn it" Albus complained, fixing his glasses uncertain "I wasn't expecting it" he muttered sadly.

Poor Albus…

There's nothing I can say right now to help him, even I don't know what to think about it.

Don't get me wrong, I don't care who Ella snogs and which are her preferences, but if she's a lesbian, why she didn't feel comfortable enough to come and talk to me… I mean, we're best friends, we tell everything to each other, we trust each other the most… Have I talked as a friend? If she's as lesbian or not, it doesn't change anything for me, I just want her to be happy and feel comfortable with herself. I'll always support her.

I felt a bit uneasy, tomorrow I'll talk to her.

"Excuse me" Albus whispered quickly, leaving Malfoy and I with the beverages.

Great.

Alone with the devil.

"I didn't know he still was so much into her" I blurted out before I could restrain myself.

But since are just Malfoy and I here, with who else can I talk, after all?

Bullshit.

I'm just trying to fool myself, I missed talking to this prat.

Merlin, kill me.

I need to learn how to control myself, I can't keep doing it.

I'm certainly insane.

"He hadn't told me as well" Malfoy admitted, his voice full of hurt "I thought he was already over her"

So now both of us are hurt with our best friends for hiding something important about them from us.

Blimey, this night just gets better.

Sarcasm.

But I need to keep myself on track for Dom and Lily's sake, at least everything is kind of getting sorted out and in their places.

I could feel his grey and stormy eyes over me, but instead of avoiding them, I just pretended I hadn't noticed it.

It's not the same as avoiding, right?

Right.

We stayed in silence for a long time, tension really clear and evident, like if both of us wanted to say something, but we are incapable of doing so.

Also, I don't know why I just can't leave. I'm trying to say to my feet, move, come on. But nothing makes me walk away and go to the karaoke with Lucy or just sit in the puffs with some random students.

For me it's quite sad that from a great relationship, considering how we had been enemies for the past years, now we barely talk, nor feel comfortable enough to do so. Before it was so easy, it even surprised me how we were really able to keep a conversation, a proper one, between us. What had happened?

I found out about my feelings for him, he acted like a jerk. Perhaps it was better to end whatever we were early instead of getting too involved. I didn't get that much involved and his stupidity already hurt me more than I ever had gotten.

I hate feeling vulnerable and in two months he left me like this, that's not a good sign.

Perhaps I need to face our case like this, it's better for me that we're not so close anymore. Actually, not close at all.

"Hey, gorgeous" a boy appeared by my side, his thick accent making it evident he's from Durmstrang.

I got kind astonished. He's handsome, apparently older, a beard, way too much muscular, but still in great shape.

Why is he even talking to me, I'm wearing a large shirt as a dress, for Merlin's beard!

"Hello there" I simply said.

Because although I'm feeling great having a handsome boy talking to me while a grumpy Malfoy is nearby, boys never really affect me.

Why? Because I don't give a shit about what they think about me when they mean nothing to me.

That's why Malfoy is so dangerous to me, he challenges me all the bloody time.

"Are you alone?" he asked me curiously, eyeing Malfoy carefully.

Why is he looking carefully to Malfoy? Indeed, Malfoy is tall and muscular as well… oh, I had felt it before… Anyway, but this guy from Durmstrang is probably his double size, Malfoy should feel intimidated, not him.

"Totally" I said firmly and cheerfully.

I got another fire whiskey, already feeling its effect over me.

Merlin, soon I'll be way too giggly for my taste.

"Cool" he replied, winking at me flirty.

Merlin, is he serious?

I giggled, finding quite adorable how a guy of his size could still be cute.

I looked quickly to Malfoy, he wasn't looking to me, but I noticed how his fists were clenched, his jaw tense.

Why is he being so weird?

Oh, probably because Arabella dumped him. Although he insists he's not upset about her.

What a loser.

"Would you like to dance, gorgeous?" the guy asked me.

His new nickname for me making me giggle.

I noticed how Malfoy rolled his eyes at the guys' choice and my careless reaction.

Payback is a bitch.

"Sure" I agreed, following him to the dance floor.

Again, I felt his gaze over me, almost piercing me for being so intense.

I laughed, adoring the effect alcohol has over me, I could feel more relaxed, not even one muscle was tense, I was laughing more easily and not even a worry would come to my mind to annoy me. The beat of the loud music also making my pulse race as I felt the guys arms encircling around my waist.

Alright, I rather to dance more freely, but hey, I should enjoy it a bit.

I looked to the bar, his grey eyes looking directly to me,

Merlin, he doesn't even feel ashamed for being such a psycho?

Why is he acting like this?

"Are you sure you're alone, gorgeous?" he asked me, looking to an awful Malfoy at the bar.

"Yep" I replied, moving with the music "He's just a prat"

"He looks jealous" the boy muttered to me, like if making a confession or telling me a gossip.

I laughed, finding so funny how he was telling me this.

"Do you think?" I don't know if he's jealous.

I mean, why would he be? We're not even together, and when we were kind of 'together' he never appeared to be jealous.

"My ex-girlfriend is at least" the boy pointed to a girl on the corner, eyeing us furiously.

Wait a minute, tall, brunette, the tip of her hair pink…

"Did you date Arabella?" I asked him suspiciously.

"Yes, we broke up a few months ago" he replied to me, bringing my body closer to his.

"Stop it" I demanded in a bossy tone, making him stop to dance "Are you using me to make your ex jealous?" I asked annoyed.

"Would you like me to be sincere?" he asked nonchalantly.

I arched my right eyebrow to him sceptically, of course I do.

"No, you're indeed a gorgeous girl" he replied, eyeing me from head to toes.

Damn it, I feel quite exposed now, although I'm just wearing a large shirt.

But at the same time, although my self esteem doesn't rely on a handsome boy's opinion, I felt quite good that he recognises my beauty.

Because seriously, every girl is truly beautiful, we shouldn't follow a pattern to compare ourselves in a way to feel adequate or not. Beauty is much more about how you accept yourself and feel comfortable in your own skin. And although Malfoy being with Arabella did affect my self esteem, now this boy is just helping me put that awful feeling behind me.

"But if being with you, here, in this dance floor, dancing like this, is helping to make her feel a bit of how she made me feel, then it's a win-win situation" he told me, winking again.

This guy is way too flirty for my taste, but he seems cool.

Although the fact that he's Arabella's ex-boyfriend is quite unsettling.

"How is it a win-win situation if I'm not winning anything?" I questioned him.

"Gorgeous, you challenge me" he said impressed "I like it"

I burst into laughter, his sense of humour infecting me.

He seemed to think for a while, his arms wrapping around me again.

"Look, gorgeous" he said "The prat right there is fuming, whatever he did to you to be called like this he deserves getting jealous"

"You're way too persuasive" I admitted, giggling.

As fucked up as it might be, I'm really enjoying myself tonight, finally.

And although I would never use someone to make another jealous, nor would allow someone to use me like this as well, or would anything just to get revenges, I won't let a jerk like Malfoy stop me from doing whatever I want with whoever I want, just like the 'handsome Durmstrang guy' doesn't care about any of it either.

"But did you really have to be her ex-boyfriend?" I asked him dramatically.

"What's the matter?" he asked me confused, his arms still around me.

"Because he's a prat" I gestured to Malfoy "for snogging her in front of me" I tried to summarize what happened, although things weren't exactly like this.

"You're joking" the boy chuckled.

"Nop" I told him.

"How can a girl like you go out with Scorpius Malfoy?" he asked rhetorically.

Damn it, he's so enjoyable.

But not because he's been complimenting me all night, or how he despises Malfoy nor because he finds Arabella annoying.

I mean, of course it is.

Please, remind me to ask his name later.

"Like me?" I asked rhetorically this time, self-deprecation clear in my voice.

"Gorgeous" the boy reprimanded me, earning a grin from me "Come here"

And before I could be able to stop him, and then when it happened I thanked myself for actually not really stopping him, he snogged me deeply, his right hand holding my hair while his left arm was firmly around me.

Clearly, although his snog is really great, it doesn't make me feel like he does. And that's because there's no feeling involved. Even though when I snogged Malfoy I still hadn't realised that I already liked him, I could feel there was something more, I just couldn't see it, nor admit it.

But before I could properly react to the snog, I felt the boy being pulled away violently away from me, and then the scene I had the displeasure to witness shocked me.

Malfoy pushed the Durmstrang boy away from me, before punching him straight to his face, a loud thump being heard as the boy stumbled backwards, although he didn't fall to the ground.

I intervened before he could punch Malfoy back, not because he doesn't deserve it, but because I noticed how just the people around us realised what had happened and I don't want my family questioning why Malfoy punched a boy because he was snogging me. Also, I don't want to ruin Dom's night.

Pressing my hand on Malfoy's strong torso, his breath heavy, his fists clenched, his jaw tense, I pushed him away from the boy and the small crowd that gathered around us.

I kept walking pushing him as we distanced from the dance floor, I could feel my skin red, my blue eyes sternly looking to his stormy grey ones, my right eyebrow arched angrily.

I probably looked just like my mum when she's angry, because Malfoy had the same reaction my dad has when he leaves her fuming: he gulped.

"We are going to talk" I notified him, my tone firm and clearly annoyed "Now" I almost yelled as I kept pushing him to outside the Room of Requirement.

It's going to be a long night for me, and as usual, a stressful one with Malfoy.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, folks!

I hope you enjoy Chapter 28, it's one of the longest I've ever written so please review to me after such hard work!

I know all of you are longing for more Scorose, but these moments apart have been necessary, soon you'll understand why!

Please don't forget to review, it really helps and means a lot to me!

Thank you to my reviewers from last Chapter:

 _Guest_ – Thank you so much for your review! I'm sorry for not being to update more frequently, I promise I'll try to improve it! About more Scorose interaction, don't miss the next chapters, I promise they'll make up for their previous time apart!

 _AhsokaAmidala34_ – Thank you so much for your review and support through all the chapters! It means a lot to me! I also miss Scorpius and Rose but that's exactly what I wanted, for her to reflect about their relationship and to get back her independent attitude, love can be really tricky most of the time and it's never simple! I want my story to be as real as possible! Also, thank you for your compliment! I've been trying really hard to improve my writing and to have my efforts recognised by one of my readers means a lot to me!

 _pinkrose520_ – Welcome, dear reader! Thank you so much for your review, I'm truly touched by your words, it means a lot to me! Also, thank you for being understandable about the break up, it's something I find really necessary to talk about! I try to not make Arabella sound like a mean girl of those stereotyped films, but since we only have Rose's point of view I actually wanted exactly to cause this reaction over my readers! I'm really glad about your review and I'm honoured that you love so much my writing and my story, it's all worth it because of readers like you!

 _Lilucy_ – Thank you so much for your review! It really helped and motivated me! Please, there's no need to apologise about your English, I'm honoured that you made such effort to communicate with me, it means a lot! Don't worry because I won't stop writing, I hope that you don't stop reviewing to me as well!

 _Amelie_ – Thank you so much, Amelie! I hope you enjoy Chapter 28!

Without further ado,

 _Binki_


	29. Passive Me, Aggressive You

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, the Wizarding World belongs to J.K. Rowling!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Twenty-Nine - Passive Me, Aggressive You**

 **Scorpius P.O.V.**

I never enjoyed my dad's colleagues from his Hogwarts' Years, not only because they are from families who still defend dark magic, despise muggles and totally loathe Harry Potter, but also because they never were my dad's friends.

He didn't have friends during his youth, Crabbe and Goyle were just useful, never friends. My grandparents were neglecting and he never had the full support he now ensures that I have.

The difference between my parents comparing to my grandparents is almost ridiculous.

My dad indeed was a troubled adolescent, but after everything he went through in such a young age, he redeemed himself. Having my mum by his side was essential for him during this process, that's why they have been so in love even after so many years.

That's why, adding the effect alcohol has over me - not that I lose all my self control, but I do become reckless, I react to things instantaneously before I can rationalise -, I punched Johann Yaxley, a Durmstrang student from a British dark wizard family, right into his arrogant face.

Yeah, that's what I've been telling myself while an angry ginger girl with tempestuous blue eyes and a perfectly arched eyebrow just like my mum's pushes me away from the crowd that gathered around us.

Where is she taking us? I have no idea.

I got kind of lost in the view in front of me. Her.

Always her.

She's always around even when she physically isn't.

It's driving me fucking insane.

Who am I trying to fool? I could punch any jerk whenever I wanted, being Yaxley or not.

That's not the point. I'm not a violent person.

Also, I can't blame it on alcohol, I would even contradict myself if I did so.

But I have to admit that it was great to have an excuse to punch Yaxley, I've been longing it since he insulted my parents for not being jerks like his.

So why did I punch Yaxley?

Obviously.

Because he snogged Weasley.

But what's the matter if I've been treating her so badly while snogging another girl, who for an unfortunate coincidence is also Yaxley's ex-girlfriend, Arabella Turner?

Obviously as well.

Because I'm fucked up and I just don't know how to deal with my own feelings and problems.

And why is that?

Not so obvious this time.

Although my parents raised me very differently from how their own parents did, without this "pure blood" and family superiority shit - after all, family is a myth, mine never worked out very well -, teaching me to treat people with respect and equally, developing social consciousness and critical sense, Malfoy coldness runs in our blood.

My dad actually is very affectionate, just to me and my mum, but he still struggles to deal with his inside demons, about how to express himself and trust people with showing his emotions.

He makes a huge effort to be a great dad for me, and he really is. He does things with me that I know my grandfather Lucius never did to him: we talk, we hang out together, we hug, we love each other, and not only we express it, we say it, not as much as my mum, but my grandfather never did it to my dad.

But still, talking about such intimate subjects was never a Malfoy thing. I don't blame my dad, he has improved a lot since his young rebel and dark years. But it affects me as much as it does to him, not being able to deal with your own feelings and inside thoughts.

My mum tries to help both of us, she's the opposite of my dad. She's lively, spontaneous, confident, strong, has a sparkling and delightful personality. I have qualities and flaws from both of them, but also my own. But just like dad, talking about me is not an easy thing to me.

As I've said, my mum tries to help us, she's very open about conversations and very supportive to us, but it isn't easy for my dad and me.

I try not to worry her, to let her focus on my dad, but she's my mum. She never gives up on me.

This summer she said, when we tried to talk about how difficult to me still is to talk about myself, that perhaps I need something like my dad got to help him overcome his limitations. Or better, someone. A girlfriend.

I rolled my eyes when she suggested it.

I know she's very eager for when I bring a girl home, but I'll never do that. Firstly, because Malfoy Manor is way too intimidating for any normal person, secondly, because I don't date. Never did, never will. It takes too much of your time and energy, and I've been with too many girls from Hogwarts already and none of them left me interested enough to change my dating status. Not that I want it as well. And not that they are bad. Actually, I am the problematic person. I'm well aware about it.

Mum wanted to have more children, but she can't have, when she gave birth to me she had too many complications, my dad didn't want to risk her life. She says nowadays that she doesn't feel like there's a missing piece, she says our puzzle has always been complete with only me.

But I would love to have had a sibling, that's why when Matteo was born I got so elated, he's the little brother I never had. Also, I know mum would love to have had a daughter…

That's why she's so interested about me having a girlfriend, I know they'll become best friends if it depends on her.

But back to one of my main flaws. I know I have many of them. But this one in particular has been bothering me since I've been… Making out? Going out? But we never went out… Anyway, since whatever Weasley and I have is going on.

I'm used to being an introvert, but with her I gave way too many details about myself that I had never given to any other girl… And not because I felt forced or anything like it, I just enjoyed talking to her as much as I did snogging her.

I know right… Years arguing with her, and then finding out that she's a marvellous snogger…

How ironic is life?

"SPIT IT OUT" Weasley yelled at my face, her face, neck and ears red, her fists clenched.

We were in the middle of a silent and dark hallway, I have no idea where exactly we are though.

Merlin, why does she have to look adorable when she's mad?

I feel ridiculous calling her adorable.

I've become so pathetic since we first snogged.

Her eyebrow was arched again, her arms crossed in front of her, impatiently waiting for my answer.

I don't bloody know what to do.

"What" I decided to play dumb.

Because what the fuck am I supposed to do?

Better stay in my safe place.

I'm managing to be incredibly rational considering the amount of alcohol I've consumed… But who am I trying to fool again? I didn't have that much… The vision of Yaxley snogging Weasley that left me insane...

"You're ridiculous!" she insulted me, her fists clenched.

I can see she's completely furious at me.

I'm fucked up, she may be tiny, at least compared to me, because she's not short, but since First Year she sometimes scares me. She still does, it's insane.

"Oh really?" I mocked her before I could restrain myself.

For years, my defence mode against Weasley has always been to piss her off and mock her. I've become really good on it, actually.

"What the bloody hell is wrong with you?" she asked, but it sounded rhetorical.

"I wonder about it all the time" I said nonchalantly, but inside I feel a mix of emotions.

So I bottle them up, as usual.

And try to play it cool so I don't expose myself.

"Stop being a prick" she scolded me angrily.

Blimey! I don't know if she can get redder than this but I'm getting concerned…

Why?

That's what bothers me.

I never cared much about other people, they were always ready to judge me. It changed when I met Albus and we became best friends, and after a few years I became oddly popular in Hogwarts, probably because of Quidditch, but also that's when students stopped to care whether I'm a Malfoy or not.

I'm no Death Eater after all, I think they finally noticed.

It took them a quite long damn time.

"I'm not" I replied quietly.

I can't show Weasel how nervous I actually am just by being in front of her after what happened the past weeks.

But also I have no bloody idea what I'm doing, I'm just saying whatever comes to my mind, and since irritating Weasley has been very automatic to me since... Always, that's what I'm probably doing.

"Why did you punch that boy?" she asked me serious, her eyes attentively paying analysing me.

Merlin, I've noticed how Weasley has learned how to read me, she has been able to do it and nobody had ever done it.

"Why can't I?" I retorted annoyed.

I don't want to explain what I don't even understand.

Or do understand but don't want to talk about it, per usual.

"That's not a socially acceptable behaviour" she said sarcastically like if I were a naughty child.

Which sometimes I kind of am.

"I don't fucking care" I rolled my eyes.

It's better if we just stay away from each other.

I recognise that I failed my own plan by punching Yaxley, but that's done.

I hate to overthink.

And I'm not used to feeling guilty or having a heavy consciousness.

I hardly ever talk to myself to avoid reflecting about myself.

I've been failing recently.

But still, not my fault.

Weasley's fault.

Why?

Well…

"Malfoy" she called my name, trying to get my attention.

Usually I am the intimidating one, I'm fully aware about it. I keep her gaze and my eyes pierce her.

Weasley is a very… extrovert person. She's not hard to read.

But recently she's been tricky sometimes.

It just makes things worse.

"You're not an idiot" she said "Actually you are, but I'm sure you remember what I notified you early today"

I rolled my eyes.

She caught me totally off guard.

I cursed myself after that, because she noticed how she affected me.

Of course I bloody remember.

I've been thinking of what she told me the whole day.

That's why I've been so grumpy and upset.

Arabella has nothing to do with it, we were never together. Albus is just a pain in the ass sometimes…

But he still is my best friend, what can I do?

"Whatever" I replied, trying not to sound interested.

But actually, her words made me indeed rethink about the past weeks.

And also about the past months.

Exactly what I didn't want to do.

And that's what started the whole drama we're now trapped into.

Because, if Weasley and I hadn't been snogging since September, then I wouldn't be confused about whatever we used to have and whatever we were, so it wouldn't matter whether Arabella snogged me or not, then that moment outside the Great Hall wouldn't have happened - I had never seen that expression on her face, I didn't understand why suddenly she hated me -, and so I wouldn't spend nights asleep trying to understand what she was going to tell me before Arabella interrupted us, then I wouldn't have been such a prat to a girl I had been snogging for the last months by totally ignoring her and going out with another one in front of her, and it wouldn't have affected me whether Weasley was snogging or being snogged by any prat or even Yaxley.

There's just way too much events and emotions and words to think about and to try to decipher, and, as Weasley said, that's what I've been trying to do: act like nothing ever happened.

Because perhaps it would have been better if things indeed never had happened.

But things did happen, and nothing can change it anymore.

Do I wish it could be changed? That's exactly what I'm trying not to think about in the first place.

I don't want to deal with whatever the answer may be.

Fuck.

I'm a mess.

Because deep down, after everything we've been through, I think I know very well what she actually did to me...

"I told you we would talk" she warned me sternly "Now"

I rolled my eyes again.

But remained quiet.

"Malfoy" she said my name irritated "Stop procrastinating a conversation that has to happen one way or another"

"You're overreacting" I blurted out.

Just to piss her off, because I'm a prat that enjoy irritating a ginger girl.

"You're being bloody passive aggressive!" she retorted, clearly mad.

"Are you insane?" I protested quite offended.

"You're sulking the whole bloody time and avoiding a conversation that has to happen whether you want it or not" Weasley kept looking irritated to me.

"Avoiding an argument, you mean" I corrected her annoyed "I hate arguments"

"It's becoming an argument because you're bloody frustrating" she remarked wisely.

This girl is too damn intelligent.

She challenges me all the bloody time.

Nobody ever does it, and she does all the bloody time!

"We'll stay here until you talk to me" she notified me.

Before I could make a crude remark and tell her to sod off, Weasley quickly got my wand from where it was on the back of my jeans, probably using her Quiddicth abilities.

She's pissing me off now.

"You remember I'm a seeker, right?" I asked amused.

Merlin, I feel so bloody bipolar.

But it's all her fault, not mine. I was quietly just punching a jerk on his bloody stupid face.

Blimey, I'm really passive aggressive…

I hate myself.

"What's the matter?" she rolled her eyes, but before she could do anything, I reached her for my wand, making Weasley jump scared before running away down the stone hallway.

I ran after her, finding it actually quite amusing.

I could hear her giggles and it had an immediate effect on me.

I missed that sound.

Merlin, not that again.

Since we've spent so much time together just the two of us I started to notice certain things about her and enjoy her company… Everything changed that night on Halloween and since then I indeed have missed having her around.

Unfortunately.

It makes me insane.

I followed her ginger head, her long hair cascading on her back…

That hair…

I tried to shove these thoughts away as I finally reached her from behind.

"Ahhh" she yelled as I encircled my arms around her waist, taking her off the ground as we stopped somewhere in the giant castle.

No one was around, and for a moment it seemed like the "old times" we had, when we would hide away from the world and be just the two of us.

How bloody cheesy does it sound?

Bullshit.

We were giggling, I could feel my heart racing and as she turned around to face me, my arms still around her, her beam totally caught me off of guard.

Her blue eyes still were annoyed and tempestuous, but also were glowing, the moonlight making them even more lit. Her cheeks were red, I'm not sure if still of anger or because she ran from me. Her hair tousled and cascading around her face.

Merlin, what has she done to me?

I noticed how my arms were still encircled around her waist, and she did nothing to change it.

What does it mean? What has everything we've been through mean?

That's what makes me confused, and I've been trying to avoid feeling that way.

I'm not used to being confused.

I'm not used to have… Feelings…

"Don't fucking touch me" Weasley exclaimed pissed off, the magic of the moment totally ruined.

Perhaps it had been magical just for me.

I'm almost laughing of myself because I feel ridiculous.

"Give me my wand" I ignored her, demanding my wand back.

I tried as much as I could not to show my disappointment.

Why am I disappointed though?

I'm sure as hell that Weasley won't ever make things easy for me.

Not after everything I've put her through.

I'm an asshole, I know I am.

It sounds so wrong, I'm not proud of acting like a dick.

"Nope" she said simply, her eyebrow still arched.

Merlin, how the hell does she do it?

"Weasel" I said, my voice sounding husky, as I tried to control my temper "I'm not playing around here"

"Neither am I" she replied stubbornly.

I rolled my eyes as she crossed her arms, defiantly challenging me otherwise.

This girl will be my death.

"Weasley…" I scolded her annoyed.

"Malfoy…" she replied, anger clear in her voice, but I could see she was having fun by messing with me.

We're both sadists, we enjoying pissing off each other.

Actually, we're both mental.  
Perhaps that's why although being a pain in the ass Weasley matches me in so many bloody things…

"I have my whole night, you know" she teased me, looking at her nails.

"You know if I wanted I could attack you, pick my wand and kick your ass, right?" I asked rhetorically.

She chuckled, her eyes closing in pleasure, her lips pressed to suppress one of her scandalous laughs.

"Funny" she simply said, rolling her eyes and beaming broadly.

Is she nuts? Why the fuck is she smiling?

"What?" I asked curious.

"Nothing" she replied, looking at her bloody nails again.

What the fuck is wrong with her nails? There isn't even nail polish for her to admire.

Not that I take notice about her looks…

"Weasley, you're wearing me off"

"Malfoy, you're wearing me off"

"I'm bloody serious"

"So am I"

"You're not gonna make it easy for me, right?"

"Undoubtedly"

"Shit"

We stayed quiet for awhile.

I wanted to bloody shout whatever has been through my mind in the past weeks and months.

But how could I trust her with everything I've been thinking and feeling?

Or how could I not?

What the bloody hell was she going to tell me on the Halloween Party before bloody Arabella interrupted us?

If I ask her, and demand an answer, she can do the same to me.

As a dick as I am, I'm aware of a few social protocols.

Am I ready to share all the shit inside of me with someone else? And not only someone else, but the person that makes me asleep almost every night since we stopped seeing/going out/snogging/whatever the fuck we were doing?

I tried to rationalise and think straight, but my mind was clouded, by alcohol, the adrenaline of punching Yaxley, the nervousness of being alone with her after such a painful time.

"Why did you punch that boy, Malfoy?" she asked me slowly, her eyes piercing me.

I tried to avoid her gaze, trying to focus on something else.

I have to be strong as I've always been.

I can't expose myself.

I can't.  
But her eyes were piercing me so fiercely that, distracted by what to do and how to act, my eyes got automatically attracted to hers.

Grey with blue, and that's how the hurricane began.

I gulped as I blurted out before I could restrain myself.

"BECAUSE HE BLOODY SNOGGED YOU" I yelled annoyed.

BLIMEY! I didn't just do it…

"What?" she asked me surprised, her mouth agape, her eyes clearly confused.

All her strength she channelled to keep her composure in front of me and build walls so I couldn't read her eyes had fallen. I could read her clearly now.

Confusion, anger, hurt, surprise…

"You were…" she tried to say "You were… Jealous?" Weasley asked surprised.

"Obviously" I blurted out before I could control myself.

As usual tonight.

"Suck it and see, right?" she mocked me after overcoming her astonishment.

"Bloody hell, Weasel!" I exclaimed pissed off.

"Stop fucking yelling at me!" she retorted annoyed, but still clearly confused "Why?"

"What?" I asked confused this time.

"Why were you jealous of me?" she questioned unsure.

"Can't you see?" I asked almost desperate.

I just couldn't keep it inside of me anymore.

It was suffocating me.

It was burning me alive.

I shouldn't, but I have to.

"What the bloody hell are you talking about?" she asked desperate this time.

Merlin, she's ginger and swears.

I'm dead.

I can be sent to hell now.

"ARE YOU FUCKING BLIND?" I asked rhetorically.

That's it.

"Just say it!" she pressed me anxiously "I can't take this bullshit anymore"

I'm done.

"I FUCKING LIKE YOU, WEASEL!" I spit it out right into her face.

I mumbled frustrated and feeling relieved at the same time as I watched her face twitching with many emotions.

Anger - as usual tonight -, confusion, angst… Realisation? Surprise? Anger again?

"How…" she mumbled confused "How?" she asked to me, her eyes clouded with… Hurt?

Damn it… That's everything she has to say to me after I just admitted my feelings for her? As if it hadn't been hard enough for someone like me?

But it's done, I can't take it back.

But now I'm feeling a bitter taste in my mouth, like if I got a punch in my stomach.

Is this how rejection feels?

"HOW?" I yelled irritated.

She pushed me so much and now… Now she doesn't get it? And instead of saying she reciprocates she just asks… How?

I thought that night on the Halloween party, before bloody Arabella interrupted us, she would say… Not exactly this, but something like this…

I feel so pathetic for guessing so wrongly.

"YOU FUCKING MESSED UP WITH MY HEAD AND MY BLOODY HEART OR WHATEVER THE FUCK IT IS"

"Stop yelling, you moron" she scolded me.

"YOU MAKE ME BLOODY INSANE" I replied frustrated, running my hands through my hair.

"ME?" she yelled insulted this time.

"Of course" I replied "You've always been insane"

"THEN WHY THE BLOODY HELL DID YOU GO OUT WITH ARABELLA LIKE A FUCKING HAPPY COUPLE?" she asked me angry, her finger pointing directly to my torso, walking slowly and intimidating as she pressed me against the wall.

Blimey, this is… Bloody sexy…

I shouldn't be thinking this right now, but Weasley looks oddly attractive when she's angry and pissed off.

Her hair just fits her even more perfectly.

And I just can't believe myself I said something like this.

I noticed how my back touched the cold stone wall, but I don't think she noticed she did trap me here.

"We were never a couple" I replied annoyed "Why does everybody keep thinking it?"

"What do you expect me to think?" she asked me rhetorically "I've seen both of you multiple times, snogging, going to Hogsmeade, to the library and to the Great Hall and all that shit"

"Why are you demanding an explanation from me?" I questioned her annoyed, I hate when people do that with me "We never talked about it"

"It doesn't bloody matter, you idiot" she replied "At least had the consideration to tell me you were totally over whatever the bloody hell we had…"

"You're an idiot" I retorted annoyed "I wasn't with her because I was done about us"

"Then what?" she asked me firmly.

I gulped.

"I was bloody trying to suppress my feelings" I explained defeated "I didn't want to face them so I thought that getting involved with another girl would help me just forget you"

"And?" she demanded annoyingly.

"And obviously it didn't work…"

"You're ridiculous…"

"I know I am" I replied "What do you expect of me? I just found out I like you and…"

"I like you too" she replied, looking directly to my eyes.

WHAT?

"How?" I asked more to myself than to her.

But… But… She didn't say it back when I told her I like her…

"I don't bloody know" she replied annoyed "I just do and it's messing with me so fucking much that I just don't know what to do anymore"

As soon as I realised what she said, I decided that I had to act.

I felt a sudden courage growing inside of me, a sudden confidence taking over myself, a strange feeling, a sweet and full of adrenaline dominating my brain.

Perhaps that's how I found my guts to take her hand in mine. She didn't protest nor turned me down, she seemed surprised instead of annoyed now, her eyes never leaving mine.

I pulled her to me, our bodies touching lightly.

I bloody missed this contact, our contact. Skin to skin.

The feeling of her close to me clouded my mind even more, my reasoning going out to space, nowhere close to here and now.

"I never liked her an inch of how much I like you…" I admitted, resting my forehead on hers.

I could feel her hot breath.

I inhale. She exhales.

Like if we were providing for each other.

It may sound gross for some people but it's probably the most poetic I've ever been.

Fuck off.

"You still left me to be with her" she said stubbornly.

She never gives up.

That's Weasel.

"That was my biggest mistake" I said, my voice small, almost ashamed "I tried to repress what you make me feel…"

"But it just made things worse…" she completed to me.

Merlin, are we really complementing each other's sentences?

How cheesy yet adorable is this?

"Exactly" I agreed, my hands left hers, rising to her shoulders.

I took her hair away from her face, and I noticed how her breath got faster, just like her heartbeat.

Blimey!

Even my heart was thumping loudly inside my rib cage.

How embarrassing.

"You still hurt me a lot" she admitted defiantly, although her body was responding to my touches.

My left hand fell to her waist, while the other caressed her long and cascading wavy ginger hair.

"I'm sorry" I finally said the words.

Weasley looked straight to my eyes, surprised, clearly not expecting that I would be that humble.

What the bloody hell am I supposed to do?

Look what that witch did to me already.

"I'm sorry for acting like an asshole and hurting your feelings" I repeated to reaffirm how sorry I really am.

Because that's the most sincere I've ever been with anyone.

I shouldn't have acted like this with Weasley. As much as she annoys me and even though I was very confused, apparently she was just lie me, and she doesn't deserve to be treated like this.

I shouldn't have used Arabella as well, but about it I can think later.

Now my focus is this ginger blue eyed girl right in front of me, tempting me not to kiss her after such a long time to me.

"Promise me you won't do it again" she asked me sincerely.

I gulped, not being used to these kind of things.

"I trusted you, Malfoy" she said.

"Does it mean we're…" I tried to find the best words to describe… Us? But I don't know if I found them "We're back together?"

"Kind of" she replied.

"What?" I asked confused.

Merlin, girls are nuts. Weasley is even more.

"You still have to promise" she muttered.

"You still have to forgive me" I reminded her.

"Touché" she replied, giggling.

Merlin… Have I said how much I missed this sound?

Have I said already how ridiculous I am for saying it?

She looked expectantly to me, not giving up to be the one to reply what the other asked.

"I promise you" I said sincerely, planting a kiss on her forehead before I could restrain myself.

It came out so spontaneously that even I got surprised by myself.

Weasley beamed at my gesture, kissing my cheek tenderly before replying to me.

"I forgive you"

I beamed this time, feeling relieved for finally expressing myself and elated for having my feelings reciprocated.

Never have I ever imagined I would like someone, as also I never found it possible for my already almost impossible feelings to be mutual.

Am I dreaming?

Because if I wake up and find it to be a dream I'll get grumpy for the rest of the week.

"Thank you" I said.

Since when am I this nice to her?

"Thank you" she replied meaningfully.

Does it mean I have her trust again?

I encircled my arms around her waist, bringing her firmly to my torso so there was no space between our bodies.

Merlin… I missed it…

"I missed you so bloody much" I confessed, my eyes averting from her gaze.

"I missed you too, ferret" she mocked me, taking my hair away from my eyes.

I enjoy when she messes my hair with her fingers, caressing and combing.

I put my forehead over hers again, our breaths synchronized.

I closed my eyes as my lips reached for hers, but instead of her soft lips, I noticed how she put her index finger over mine.

I opened my eyes confused as I watched her giggling to me.

"Not yet, prince charming" she mocked me.

I rolled my eyes annoyed to her.

"Seriously?" I asked.

"Yep" she replied "Trust must be earned"

I shook my head, feeling suddenly sober.

What does that even mean?

"You're so adorable when you have this frown on your face" she mocked me, kissing the frown between my eyebrows.

I pouted, disappointed.

"I want a kiss on my lips, not on my frown" I complained like a child.

She laughed adorably, making me beam happily.

"You can have it" she assured me "Eventually"

"English, please" I demanded, pinching her nose.

"What about we do it on the right way now?" she proposed to me.

I pretended to think a lot about it as I felt her punching my torso.

"Aren't you the rebel one?" I teased her.

She rolled her eyes again, still waiting for my reply.

I wondered though.

"I'll do it right with you, Rose" I said before I could restrain myself "You deserve it"

She looked surprised that I called her by her first name instead of her last name or our usual mocking nicknames, but it was very sincere, she's Rose to me.

Rose beamed with pleasure to me, embracing me tightly as she finally gave in.

"I'll never make things easy for you" she muttered in my ear, but her arms still firmly holding my neck as my arms strongly held her by her waist.

"I wouldn't want it any other way" I replied sincerely, making her giggle happily.

And because of this, because of her, for this moment, all the struggles, insecurities, wonderings and nights asleep I've been through the last months and weeks were worth it.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, folks!

I hope you enjoy Chapter 29 and Scorpius POV! I wasn't so sure if I should write on his point of view, but it seemed the best for this chapter, and also if what I had written was good enough, but I hope you like it!

Please let me know what you think about the chapter and Scorpius POV, I'm dying to know what you guys think about it! Don't forget to review to me, please, it helps me and means a lot!

A special thank you to my reviewers from Chapter 28:

 _Amber_ – Thank you so much, Amber! It means a lot, I'm really you liked it!

 _Lilucy_ – Hey, thank you so much for you review! Please, don't worry about you English, it's really great! But also feel free to write in your native language, I promise I'll try as much as I can to understand it! Lots of love to you, dear reader! Thank you for your support!

 _Guest_ – Woah! Thank you so much for your review and your compliments! I love when my readers talk about the story structure and character development, I try really hard for both to be really great, I'm happy to know my effort pays off! I hope you enjoy Chapter 29!

 _baronnis_ \- Thank you so much for your review! I hope you liked their discussion!

 _AhsokaAmidala34_ – Thank you so much for your support!

 _harrypotterchick_ – I laughed at your review, that's the only thing I was 100% sure when I planned their discussion, Rose will never make it easy to Scorpius! Hope you enjoy this Chapter and thank you for your review!

Thankful,

 _Binki_


	30. Love is a Laserquest

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, as per usual.

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Thirty – Love is a Laserquest**

Sometimes I get scared of growing up. A few years ago, my greatest matters to care about were just my studies. Now I have to deal with feelings and relationships. In a few years, about a job and becoming financially independent from my parents. Then getting married and having children and being able to provide for them.

Well…

Just because I said that I wouldn't overthink my relationship with Malfoy that much anymore…

I'm a psycho.

But the fact is, I still couldn't believe myself what just had happened as Malfoy and I walked back to the Room of Requirement.

I could feel electricity in the tip of our fingers, they weren't intertwined, just brushing against each other as we walked silently. I wish I could read his thoughts, so I could find out if he still has butterflies in his stomach like I do.

It's still so… Awful to me, that we actually talked and admitted our feelings for each other.

Who would have thought that Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy would develop feelings for each other…

How amazing and fulfilling is to be reciprocated… I never thought I would know what it is so early and with him…

Malfoy… Or should I say Scorpius? Perhaps it's too early to change it, but I could try, just like he did to me.

Of course that I don't bloody care how people call me, he has been calling me Weasel since First Year just like I have been calling him ferret. But exactly considering how Malfoy and I have always despised each other and got called by nicknames or our last names, it's really meaningful that we're becoming able to talk to each other by our first names. It means more intimacy and caring… At least that's how I see it, but I guess he also does because he just called me Rose.

Malfoy called me by my first name, I never thought I would listen to him saying my name without mocking me or being mean.

I think I know why he called me 'Rose', he wants to show me how committed he is with… Us. Because that's what we are trying: to restart properly this time.

But as I had just told Malfoy, I would never make things easy for him, he needs to earn my trust again and it will be really funny to see how things will happen between us.

He said he would do it in the right way this time, but what does it exactly mean? Proper dates? Holding hands? I don't know where we being together will lead us to, but I'm actually in peace with myself after what seemed to be such a long time.

But just as we approached the Room of Requirement, and our hands were touching lightly (I could feel his side eye looking to me, but pretended not to), I remembered some things really important that we haven't discussed.

"Malfoy" I stopped him before we could turn the corner to the hallway.

He looked confused to me, but his annoying grin covered his handsome face.

"I knew you wouldn't be able to resist me" he said pretentiously, resting his back on the wall and bringing me close to his body with his strong arms.

Merlin, I wonder for how long I'll be able to resist him. He's quite irresistible, even more when he holds me like this.

Like if I'm his.

"Stop it" I chuckled, putting my hands on his strong torso.

Which I kind of am from now on.

This thought made me chuckle even more.

I bit my lip, trying not to be loud.

"Don't do this to me, Rose" he said, his voice rusky as he put my fringe behind my ear.

Sometimes I like to hide my face with my long fringe because I get crimson so easily. Like now.

I felt the heat on my face and neck as he said my first name again.

Damn it to be a Weasley.

Merlin, I'm so pathetic if just Malfoy calling me 'Rose' affects me so much like this.

"Do what?" I asked mocking him, now aware of what I had done.

I arched one of my eyebrows just to tease him, and apparently it worked.

"Weasel" he mocked me, kissing my neck gently, his arms encircling my waist firmly.

"Malfoy" I tried to say firmly, but failing.

Of course I did, he's just so charming.

Ridiculously charming.

I always feel like I'm melting in his arms.

It takes me a lot of self control to pretend he doesn't affect me so much all the bloody time.

"Hm?" he asked as he kept kissing my neck almost irresistibly.

"Are we gonna keep this a secret?" I asked him worried since we are exposed, anyone could walk in at any moment.

He stopped, looking me in the eyes.

"I don't want to hide our feelings…" he replied, but I could see something went through his mind.

I think I know what.

"But telling our friends and my family probably could jeopardise our relationship" I completed his sentence.

"I want to make things right with you, but it won't help having your cousins fuming at my neck because I'm snogging their gorgeous redhead cousin" he said sincerely, making me giggle.

"Yeah, they are a bunch of nosy weirdos" I agreed "When time comes we tell them"

"Although it's gonna be really tough for me to pretend we're not together…" he pouted, suddenly looking like a child.

"You're adorable" I blurted out before I could restrain myself, caressing his hair to take it out from his face.

He closed his eyes at my gesture, clearly appreciating. It just made my stomach explode with butterflies, again. I could feel my heart racing as well, my mouth dry with nerves and expectation.

How did I manage to not have these feelings for two weeks? It felt like years.

I wanted to snog him so badly but I don't want to rush things again. Also, it's a nice payback for what he did by leaving me to spend time with Arabella, although now I understand and know why.

It's not that I'm vengeful, but the fact is that girls can't make things easy for boys, Victoire always said this to us, her younger cousins and Dom.

Because boys are more immature and lazy and insensitive bastards… Not that slide, I don't agree with gender stereotype. But come on… Lorcan, James, Malfoy, Louis… All of them already broke hearts because they are ridiculous with dealing with girls and treating them right.

Although I've always heard that Malfoy is a true gentleman, perhaps I am the unlucky girl.

As usual.

But back to Vic and her girl advices, I probably should have listened to her, but I'm still so young, and I know, immature. We learn with life by making mistakes.

Although a short time, I think I got to mature after what happened between Malfoy and I. It really impacted me deeply, and that's how things change inside of us. Disappointments and frustrations always help us to grow up and learn, so the next time we know how to act better and more consciously.

It's called personal improvement.

I feel proud of myself as well, I can't self-sabotage my happiness, but also I won't get so irrationally involved anymore. Although it doesn't mean that overthinking is being rational, actually it translates to confusion, inexperience and insecurity.

At least to me.

"Someone is coming" Malfoy brought me back to Earth as he stopped kissing my neck, his arms protectively around me.

Indeed, I heard voices.

I don't know if I curse whoever these people may be for interrupting Malfoy and his irresistible smooches, or I thank them for helping me stick to my… Morals.

I think I can call it like this.

Because I felt dizzy just by his gesture.

Malfoy is really intoxicating, also I am pathetic.

Therefore resisting to him is a really hard work, it takes a lot from you.

"Nice, Malfoy" I complimented him, earning a cute pretentious chuckle.

Of course, some things never change.

"You need to do it" a girl's voice said exasperated.

"I can't" a known and annoying voice replied, nervousness clear in her voice.

"That was the deal" a male voice remembered her.

"It was before…" but she stopped, not being able to finish the sentence.

"Before you fell for him?" another boy asked in a mocking tone.

I didn't like it, who talks like this with a friend?

"It's not like that" she replied angrily.

"So do it" the girl challenged her annoyed.

"Are you gonna be a coward?"

"I'm not a coward" the girl said, clearly upset.

"Sure" someone said ironically.

"They seem to be idiots" I mouthed to Malfoy as quietly as I could.

He agreed with me, holding my waist quietly as we waited for them to do something so we could get back to Dom's party.

A silence took over the place.

I heard a deep breath before steps probably reached the door to enter the party.

"Come on" I called Malfoy so we could get in right after them.

As I reached the door, I noticed Violet asking for everybody's attention.

Her idiotic friends following her with mischievous grins on their stupid faces.

I knew I never liked any of them.

She walked to the middle of the dance floor, everybody looking annoyed and confused at her since she stopped the music and everyone playing Xbox.

At least nobody even noticed Malfoy and I entering together the Room.

"Babe" James walked towards her, his eyes shining of happiness.

"Do I have to see it?" Harper asked me rhetorically.

So it happened.

By it I mean their 'make love' thing.

"What's going on?" He asked her confused, trying to reach for Violet to hold her by her waist.

But she backed away.

Tears clearly in her eyes, but not falling.

"Oh no" Harper muttered to me "She didn't…"

"Did what?" I asked her confused, but she as to focuses on James right now.

Their relationship is still so fragile, it must be tough for you to like your best friend while he's completely in love with a girl you despise and also ruined your friend with him.

"Violet?" James asked hurt.

"I knew we shouldn't have invited her" Lucy said by my side, not being careful to not be heard by Violet.

But instead of replying to Lucy, Violet just ignored her.

"I'm sorry, James" she muttered only to James so her friends weren't able to see or listen to it, I noticed.

"Fuck" I heard Harper saying.

What does she know that I don't?

Is it so obvious?

I'm clearly in the dark.

My cousin looked to her worried, not understanding anything.

"Violet" one of her friends warned her.

"For what?" James asked, trying to get closer but again being rejected.

"For everything" she said, not looking to his eyes.

"Violet" her friend caught her attention "If you don't do it, we will"

"She will" another one said "It has to be her"

"Yeah" the boy agreed "It's part of the fun"

"SHUT UP!" Violet yelled angrily to her friends.

Woah.

Who could have guessed that Perfect Girl, Miss Violet MacGrath, would lose her temper in front of everybody?

She always seemed so collected, so self assured, so untouchable. So perfect.

"Violet" James asked her worried "What's going on?"

She was looking to the floor, her hands moving frantically, her breath fast and uncertain.

Merlin, I think she's going to collapse.

And I'm not mocking, Violet may be annoying and we may not like each other, but her friends are total idiots, I always thought.

She breathed heavily, her eyes suddenly looking into James' ones.

"I fooled James Potter" she said aloud firmly, looking around to make sure everybody listened to her.

But to me it seemed she didn't want to have to look to James.

And what the bloody hell is she talking about?

"Fuck" Lucy exclaimed, earning a slap in the back of her head from Molly.

"He fell for me, he told me he loves me" she announced, her eyes unclear.

Her friends were chuckling, but she wasn't.

On the contrary, her face was stern and harsh

"Shit" Malfoy muttered for me to listen "This won't end well"

I elbowed his ribs, to make him silent.

I know, sometimes I'm mean.

But the point is… Does she have to expose their relationship like this? So unnecessary.

"But I don't" Violet said, now looking to James, like if just telling him "It was just a bet"

WHAT THE BLOODY HELL?

Did I just hear that? She doesn't love him back and is humiliating him in front of everybody plus is she really saying that their relationship was just… A fucking bet?

A FUCKING BET?

"Wh-what?" James asked Violet, apparently not being able to believe her.

Can I murder her right now?

"What the fuck?" I heard Fred asking outraged behind me.

"No apologies, Violet!" her friend yelled, all of them laughing.

"It. Was. Just. A. Bet! " she yelled pissed off "It was never real for me!"

"Ha" James looked around, not believing her "You're joking"

"Can I kick her ass?" Lucy asked Molly.

"I think we can" she replied, emphasising that Lucy wouldn't be the only one to attack Violet.

"Oh, Violet!" one of her male friends pretended to be James "I love you so much! I want to make love with you"

"You're the one that I want!" another of her friends mocked my cousin.

"I never felt like this before!" they laughed hard and loudly.

James seemed shocked, not believing that her friends knew such personal details of them.

I felt my cousins near me raging.

Even I felt my hands trembling, I could feel that I'm almost losing my already short Weasley temper.

"Why?" he asked her confused and hurt, realisation suddenly hitting him.

I had never seen that look on his face.

Never.

"It was a bet, James!" Violet muttered, saying it again, but not looking into his eyes.

"Yeah, before she fell for you" her friends mocked.

"Don't you ever shut the fuck up?" I asked rhetorically to them, anger getting all over me.

"None of your business, Weasley!" one of them said offended.

"Fred, go there and take James out of here" Amelie warned him almost desperate.

He agreed, walking to James while I got my wand discreetly and cast a spell on the boy that had just pissed me off, making his tongue grow so much it fell on the floor.

His friends gulped to me, already supposing I had done it.

Being a Weasley I have my traits, being uncle George's niece I have artefacts to help me, and having aunt Ginny as my aunt, I know really great spells to shut those who pissed me off.

Like Violet and her friends.

Also, being Hermione Granger's daughter, I know how to cast some spells silently.

I noticed Malfoy chuckling elated by my side, and I grinned arrogantly.

I know, how hypocrite of me.

I just like to put some mean people in their places so they lose their composure… Or their ability to talk bullshit, like Violet's annoying friend.

"You fell for me?" James asked her even more confused, ignoring a desperate Fred trying to drag him out of here.

Hadn't she just said that she doesn't love him?

"NO!" she denied desperately.

She doesn't sound so sure.

That's so bloody confusing.

"YES" one of her friends said, giggling.

Are all of her friends really that mean?

They are humiliating her right now.

Although she deserves, that's not what friends usually do.

That's because they probably aren't real friends.

"It's my party and my cousin you're messing with!" Dom yelled at Violet's friends, suddenly making an entrance on the empty dance floor "FUCK OFF IDIOTS"

Dom marched towards Violet's friends and pushed one of them to the ground, being followed by an angry Lucy who punched a tall one on his stomach.

Although witches, us Weasley like to sort things out in the muggle way sometimes.

Fists and blood.

Molly ran to Lucy, I don't know if to scold her or help her, or even both.

I was controlling myself to not punch someone in their face as well.

And that's how chaos started.

The girl Dom pushed tried to push her back but Victoire intervened, Teddy tried to stop Lucy and Molly, but the guy punched him in the face, his face full of shock when he noticed he had beaten up a professor.

Malfoy, before I could stop him, was punching the same tall guy on his face, both of them going to the ground.

Merlin, does he have to punch everybody on their faces tonight?

Sometimes he's so overprotective, it pisses me off.

I know he loves Teddy and that they are incredibly close, after all, they are cousins, but really?

How am I fooling tough, I would have done the same if someone punched any of my cousins or my brother.

We take things personal, everybody does.

Suddenly the whole party was even more chaotic.

James and Violet were yelling at each other, while Fred was trying to break them apart (and failing, I must say, even though Amelie was trying to help him), some people watching them, other witnessing the physical fight between Violet's friends and my family.

I noticed how Molly was having a heated argument with another girl that pushed Lucy to the ground, Lily by her side speaking loudly as well. Louis beating up another of Violet's male friend that had yelled obscenities to James earlier, Hugo by his side giving moral support probably.

My brother is a peaceful soul, much to my dad's disappointment.

Sometimes in personality I'm much more like dad and Hugo like mum, it's really entertaining.

I noticed Albus trying to pull Malfoy and the other boy apart, and I finally ran there to help him.

I noticed Harper was stuck on her feet, unable to move, perhaps too immersed in her own thoughts.

Maybe Harper is trying to digest everything, that's why she's so paralysed.

I also get too lost in my own thoughts, but mainly when I shouldn't, like now, when my I don't know what is fighting another boy.

While Albus pushed the guy trying to stop him from punching his best friend, I was trying to calm Malfoy down before he could make any other stupidity.

"Stop!" I tried to block Malfoy, but he wasn't paying attention to me, too angered to stop.

Teddy came to my side, holding Malfoy by his shoulders.

"Scorpius! It's not worth it!" Teddy kept saying, his voice almost desperate.

"SCORPIUS!" I yelled and he finally looked to me.

His grey eyes full of surprise and… Suddenly became so soft.

Teddy noticed I had handled him and walked to the boy Albus was trying to control.

"You're in detention for punching a professor!" I heard as he used his professor serious tone of voice.

"What did you call me?" Malfoy asked me, his breath heavy and my hands were pressing against his torso, trying to calm him down.

Thankfully, everybody was too involved in the other confusions around us to noticed Malfoy and I in such an intimate moment.

"Are you seriously asking me this right now?" I asked rhetorically "You were fighting with a Seventh Year!" I almost yelled desperate.

"I was beating him up so badly!" he exclaimed proudly.

I arched one of my eyebrows, my expression not so pleasant as his.

He sighed, finally calming down.

"I overreacted, I know" he muttered, his jaw tense.

"Yep" I scolded him "First the Durmstrang boy, now him" I pointed to Violet's friend.

His lip swollen and with blood as Teddy finished scolding him and now was trying to stop other fights.

"Don't even remind me of Yaxley" Malfoy warned me.

"Shh" I silenced him as Roxy suddenly yelled at everybody, her voice amplified by her wand.

"ALL OF YOU WHO FOUGHT TONIGHT" she looked to Violet's friends, our cousins and Malfoy "DETENTION!" Roxy yelled.

A sudden silence engulfed the place as Lucy and Dom started to complain with her.

My family shouldn't be so stupid, that's not Roxy our cousin right now, it's the Head Girl, she has responsibilities.

"AND FOR EACH ONE OF YOU" Teddy now yelled angrily "70 POINTS FROM YOUR HOUSE!"

Many 'woah' were heard as mainly Gryffindor would be impaired, as usual.

Seriously, my family takes too many points from Gryffindor, but we still managed to win the House Cup three times in the past five years.

How? I don't even bloody know.

"THE PARTY IS FUCKING OVER!" Roxy yelled angrily "EVERYBODY RETURN TO YOUR COMMON ROOM"

"NOW!" Teddy yelled as well, his hair as red as ours, Weasleys.

Suddenly all the students started to run away to the giant wooden door, too scared to protest Roxy and Teddy's decision.

"All of you stay" Roxy pointed to Violet, James, her friends and our family.

"Rosie" Ella approached me scared, her hair tousled and lips swollen… From snogging.

We have to talk later, I silently told her.

"Ella" Roxy stopped her "Please help me out here, take everybody out of here who wasn't involved in the fight"

Ella agreed silently, scolding a few students that still remained in the a Room of Requirement. Jack, Lysander and Alice helping her as well.

Suddenly, the room was empty and silent.

"Beckendorff, McKellen" Teddy talked to Violet's male friends, the first being the tall one that Lucy punched "One month of detention with me every night after dinner"

Both boys complained but soon shut up when they saw Teddy's angry expression.

Beckendorff, such a cool last name for such an idiot person.

"Lohan, Benoist and McLaggen" Roxy looked to Violet's girlfriends "Detention for one month, I'll decide your duties tomorrow, for every night"

The three girls didn't even complain, Roxy's face too intimidating for them.

Fred, Dom, Louis and Lucy tried to suppress their giggling, but Roxy noticed while Violet's friends grimaced.

"The four of you" Roxy looked not surprised to Fred, Louis, Dom and Lucy "And you" now she looked disappointed to Molly "And Malfoy, one month of detention, every night as well"

I heard Malfoy's low complains, almost elbowing him again, but he noticed and diverted quickly.

"It's my birthday!" Dom protested, and I could easily notice she was under alcohol influence, being so noisy with the Head Girl.

Even though she is our cousin, this position is still taken very seriously in Hogwarts.

"I don't bloody care" Roxy scolded her "Our parents taught you better than this!"

They gulped, suddenly ashamed.

Even Lucy, who always had something ready to say at the tip of her tongue, remained silent.

"I'm really disappointed with the two of you" Vic scolded Dom and Louis " _Maman et papa_ will be as well"

"Don't tell them, Vic!" Louis protested.

He simply loves his parents, although he tries to play tough because he's a popular adolescent he hates to disappoint them.

Victoire just held Teddy's hand, leading him to the door.

"I'll see you later" she assured the rest of us, holding my hand tightly to reaffirm what she said.

I silently nod, I miss Vic so badly, I don't want Violet, her friends and our family short and kind of violent temper to ruin the short time we have with her.

"About you, Violet" Roxy now was standing in front of a clearly confused and emotional girl, nothing the Violet I used to know, the perfect and posh one "You should be ashamed to play with people's feelings..."

"Like if your cousin has always treated girls properly" one of Violet's friends, I think Benoist, interrupted bitterly.

Clearly she had something with James, because I remember them making out in a party last year and she has remorse from him.

"I agree with you" Roxy replied firmly "I hope he learned his lesson and from now on treats girls properly" her face was stern "But…"

"I totally agree" I intervened "But it still doesn't justify humiliating him in front of everybody, as long as I know, James never did that to any girl" I completed Roxy's sentence.

We have such a tight bond that sometimes we do things like that. Finish each other's sentences.

"And he really loved you" Lily looked bitterly to Violet "He really tried to make things right with you"

Violet kept her facade, but I had learned with Malfoy to see through it. She seems broken, and why had she apologised to him before?

It doesn't even make sense, nothing of it does, actually.

"Congratulations, Violet" James walked close to her, his face full of tears, hurt clear in his sad brown eyes "You won, I'm broken, and it's over!"

He left the Room of Requirement, signalling for Fred to not follow him.

Perhaps he needs some time alone. Like everybody who has their heart broken.

Funny how such a cool night turns into shit so quickly… Or should I say tragic? As said by Sartre, not my chubby grumpy cat, but the muggle philosopher, "Hell is other people".

* * *

Vic unfortunately couldn't stay longer, but we spent Sunday together with her and Teddy, we had breakfast, lunch and even dinner. But James was absent, he still didn't want to talk to anyone, not even Fred. Harper also isolated from everybody, her eyes lost and her face more pale than usual.

Dom and Louis apologised to Vic and promised not to do it again, but I wouldn't be so sure, they have short temper, like aunt Fleur. Uncle Bill and Vic are more alike, calm and peaceful, never arguing with anyone.

Scorpius and I didn't have much time to spend alone because we wanted to stay with Vic and Teddy, and that means spending the day with all my family.

We agreed to be discreet and not tell them or show that we are together, at least for now.

What does that mean? Perhaps that when we become girlfriend and boyfriend we will tell them…

Shit…

Why am I thinking about it?

We can't rush this time.

I have to repeatedly say it to myself.

Also. Now I noticed, I called Malfoy as Scorpius again. Why has it changed? I can't call him by his first name when we are around other people. Just like he can't call me Rose as well, or everybody will be suspicious.

After the party was over, everybody left for their Common Rooms, and Matteo and Albus were really worried about Malfoy's face. They tried to help him but he clearly didn't want their help.

He wanted mine, as he kept trying to look discretely to me indicating he wanted me to help him, not the boys.

I think Roxy noticed, as she managed to convince Albus and Matteo to leave Scorpius with her because she had to talk to him in private.

"You're welcome" Roxy looked to Malfoy and I, the hallway was empty except for the three of us.

Liam was with Fred and the two of them went after James, worried about him.

"What?" Scorpius cynically asked her.

"You're ridiculous, Scorpius" she mocked him, rolling her eyes "I'm tired" Roxy yawned, leaving us there as she walked to her Common Room.

"You're a bastard" I told him.

"I'm injured" he complained like a child, trying to pout but failing due to the bruise on his lips.

I shook my head, not believing Scorpius bloody Malfoy was now pouting to me like a little child.

"Come on" I held his hand firmly, not in a romantic way, just leading him to the nearest and desert bathroom "You know I won't kiss you while your lips don't get better" I informed him as I searched for a first aid box.

"Shit" he complained, letting me place him seated on the sink.

I searched for the correct potion that would help his bruise heal and some lint.

"Is it supposed to stop me from fighting?" he asked curious.

"Does it work?" I retorted, putting the green liquid on the lint and pressing against his bruise on his lips.

"Ouch" he complained "But yes" Malfoy replied stubbornly.

I giggled, even when he's an idiot he's adorable.

Scorpius placed me firmly between his legs, opening them so I could fit between them.

"Don't distract me" I scolded him firmly, putting more pressure to his bruise.

"Hey!" he protested, pinching my bum.

"Scorpius!" I scolded him again, slapping his torso.

"Ouch" he complained again "I like it when you call me like this"

"I know" I said, opening his button up shirt.

"Hey, if you're going to undress me so desperately I have the right do it with you as well" Malfoy said cheekily, winking to me with his eye that hadn't been punched.

I rolled my eyes to him, looking at a purple bruise on his chest.

"Stop flirting" I warned him "I'm taking care of you"

"You're irresistible" he confessed "And soon you will give up on this bullshit of 'not kissing Malfoy'"

I pressed a bit hard on his new bruise, making him flinch.

"You're mean!" Malfoy protested "So sexy!"

"Scorpius!" I slapped him again, giggling and making him chuckle.

"Thank you" he said to me serious, his eyes piercing into mine.

"Who would have thought that Scorpius Malfoy would be so cheeky" I mocked him, cleaning the blood out from his eyebrow.

"Just with my girl" he winked to me, but flinched as the bruise caused him pain.

I chuckled, but inside my heart was beating bloody fast after he called me 'his girl'.

"You're a bit drunk, aren't you?" I asked sarcastically.

Because that's the only explanation for him being so sincere and care free the whole night with me.

"Drunk in love" he replied cheekily.

I laughed loudly, but felt the heat in my face and ears, I probably look reddish.

Finding a courage that I don't know from where it came, and also thinking he looks so adorable being bruised and wanting me to help him, I left a gentle kiss on his forehead, taking his hand in mine so we could finally get some rest.

* * *

On Monday, during the feast, Headmistress McGonagall asked for every student's attention so she could make an announcement.

James again was absent from dinner, but this time he agreed about Fred being with him, so Amelie was seated with her Beauxbatons' friends in the Ravenclaw table.

Albus, Malfoy, Matteo and Lily were together in the Slytherin table, clearly she was there because of her friend, not because of her older brother. Albus was sending suspicious glares to Lily and Matteo, even though they were all dining together peacefully and without any harm. He was probably doing what James would do, both of them have always been protective over Lils, and they are even more now after all the Lorcan drama.

While observing them, grey eyes met mine, dragging me instantly to him like a magnet.

The bruises still were there, but looking better than after the fight, because I've been helping Scorpius with them everyday.

McGonagall noticed that one of her favourite students was injured but when she asked he managed to lie really well, not saying anything about Dom's party.

Partying in Hogwarts isn't exactly prohibited, it becomes prohibited when it involves students being out of their Common Room past curfew and underage adolescents having access to alcoholic beverages inside school.

But even though Roxy is a fierce Head Girl, not even her would grass on the clandestine parties to the Headmistress.

If she did so, she would be forever hated for every Hogwarts student for centuries.

"Good evening students" McGonagall greeted us "It's with great pleasure that I announce a tradition from the Triwizard Tournament since its inception"

"Oh Merlin" Hugo exclaimed worriedly.

I looked confused to him.

"As representatives of the host school, I expect each and every single one of you to put your best feet forward, literally" she continued, earning some confused glares, like mine.

"What is she talking about?" Louis asked us.

"Shh" Dom elbowed her brother to silent him.

"Ouch" he complained, grimacing to her.

"The Yule Ball" Headmistress McGonagall said, causing a stir in the Great Hall "Is first and foremost… A dance to socialise with our foreign guests"

"Dance?" Louis exclaimed outraged.

"No" Hugo protested, covering his head with his hands out of despair.

"At least you already have a bloody date!" Louis told him.

At least they are apparently okay after the whole Effie drama.

Too many drama for us, Weasleys.

"It's not like you can't find one with the blink of your eye" Hugo retorted.

Why is he so fucking upset? He'll probably take Effie since they're apparently together.

Ugh, sometimes it's gross.

"We'll have dance classes every Tuesday and Friday afternoon here at the Great Hall, after your regular classes" she informed us, clearly excited.

I groaned inside.

Seriously? A ball?

Which means I need to find a date?

Well, not necessarily, I don't need a proper date, I could go with my friends and family and still have fun.

But what when the first image in my head after I heard the word "ball" is a handsome platinum blonde haired Slytherin guy?

Damn it, things are never easy for us!

It's not like we could go together without looking suspicious, but also, it's not like we can go with other people… Or could we? I don't want to, and also, I wouldn't like if he went with another girl…

Blimey!

"I suggest you practice your dance moves and find a partner" Headmistress McGonagall exclaimed excited "The ball will be open only to fourth years and above, although you can invite a younger student if you wish"

A few complains were heard, including from Lucy. She's a party lover after all, Fred and James are proud of their little monster.

"But" now her face was serious, back to the normal McGonagall we are used to see "Even though the ball is a day to… Enjoy yourselves…" she looked around the Hall, probably trying to find James and Fred, the troublemakers "It doesn't mean I won't be expecting from my students to act in any other way than following the school's standards of behaviour"

I looked pointedly to Louis and Hugo, little troublemakers themselves, who just ignored me.

"Dress robes must be worn" she said, looking pointedly to fourth years' boys who usually complain the most about it "And the ball will start at seven o'clock here at the Great Hall on the Sunday before you leave for the holidays"

So basically I have one month to learn how to properly dance in a ball.

Which I've never done before.

Great.

"Oh!" Dom exclaimed "I'm so excited!"

"Of course you are" Louis complained, clearly grumpy.

"Don't be such a crying baby" Ella mocked him.

I giggled, agreeing with her, sometimes Louis is such a child… Perhaps because he still is.

"Hey dance partner" Effie suddenly appeared, taking a seat beside Hugo "We're going to nail on the dance floor" she winked at him, kissing him firmly on the lips.

"Ewwwwww" Louis and I exclaimed disgusted at the same time.

Tell me about family synchrony.

"Sod off" Effie retorted.

"It's too much for me" I complained "He's my little brother!"

Hugo rolled his eyes, but his cheeks were crimson.

I was laughing loudly when my blue eyes again met piercing grey ones from the other side of the Hall. His bruised left eye winked painfully to me, making me want to kiss Scorpius so badly.

Merlin, there's still our trip to Diagon Alley at the end of the month, and now the Yule Ball.

For how long will we be able to pretend we're not together?

I sighed irritated, looking with envy to Roxy and Liam, who could display their love and affection to each other without worry and fear.

Will Malfoy and I ever be able to be like this?

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Wow folks, 90 reviews! I'm flattered!

Thank you so much for all your support!

I hope you guys enjoy Chapter 30 and please don't forget to review, your feedback helps me a lot!

Thank you so much to my readers form last chapter:

 _harrypotterchick_ \- Thank you so much for your review! For those who like you like Lily and Matteo, sure more is coming soon! I'm glad you enjoyed Scorpius POV, I was afraid you guys wouldn't like it!

 _Lilucy_ \- Thank you so much for your review! I'm glad you enjoyed last chapter so much, mainly Scorpius POV! Hope you enjoy this chapter and please let me know what you think about it!

 _Guest_ \- Thank you for your review, it means a lot!

Hope you guys had happy holidays!

 _Binki_


	31. Brand New Start

_**Disclaimer:**_ I own nothing, the Wizarding World belongs to Jo Rowling!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Thirty-One – Brand New Start**

The whole week has been insane for me, it still doesn't seem real, but it does feel right.

My family and friends noticed how my mood has drastically improved and being nosy as they usually are, they are suspecting something is going on.

It's been really tough to manage this relationship, I think I can refer to Scorpius and I like this (look at me, calling him by his first name again), because we don't want to lose any more time than we already have.

So distracting my family to stop trying to find out what's wrong of so right with me has been a real challenge.

Also, when Scorpius and I are together around them it's harder than I expected to restrain myself from looking to him, or to just exchange smiles and just say something funny that popped into my mind that makes me feel so eager to tell him immediately.

I never guessed it would be that hard.

It got me really stressed out to not be able to just be with him without fearing to be judged or having my cousins kicking Malfoy's lovely ass.

Did I just say that?

Seriously.

Sometimes I wonder why do I care so much about my family's reaction, I never really cared about other people's opinion, mum and dad raised me to simply don't give a fuck because society is so bloody judgmental, we have to be strong to face vague criticism, mean remarks and noisy people trying to tell you what to do.

So I grew up being incentivised by my own parents to act as I wanted to, not according to other people's expectations. They always feared that having to deal with the bear of being a Weasley and Hermione Granger's daughter, that even looks exactly like her but a ginger blue eyed taller and more athletic version, I wouldn't be able to deal with the pressure and high expectations imposed to me for simply being who I am.

It's not easy, indeed. I try not to care about the others, but I can't pretend like I don't.

Just a few months ago I still hated Malfoy, how can I now fancy the bloody bloke? I think I even fear myself, because Rose Weasley and Scorpius Malfoy has never been an acceptable couple, not even for ourselves.

So why does it feel so bloody right?

I promised myself I would stop overthinking everything, but I am my mum's daughter. We rationalise everything, how can I just chill about this?

Scorpius makes me feel like a horde of fucking butterflies are flying inside of me every time he just bloody beams to me, when nobody is noticing of course, or when he winks at me mischievously even when a lot of people are around us.

Actually, not butterflies, hippogriffs!

Also, this whole Yule Ball thing is getting on my nerves, apparently on every student's nerves, boys and girls, fourth and seventh years, even the youngest, somehow even Lucy is trying to find a way to go to the ball although she's not allowed for being a second year student.

The first dance class on Tuesday was a total mess, to be honest the only person elated with it was Dom, but she's been overflowing joy for a time now.

Which confronts me, but at the same time bothers me,

What can I do? I'm not perfect.

Deal with it.

"Welcome, students" Headmistress McGonagall congratulated us cheerfully.

Way to cheerful in my opinion for a Tuesday afternoon.

We were all gathered in the a Great Hall, the long tables of the four houses were nowhere to be seen, the foreigners students were all here as well, and in the centre Headmistress McGonagall and Professor Neville were smiling so happily that it was getting even scary to see their usual serious faces like this.

At least in School, I had seen Professor Neville drunk before many times with my parents at the Burrow, but here he isn't a family friend, just the Herbology Professor.

"It's with great honour that Professor Longbottom and I welcome you to our first dance class!" she said elated.

I looked around and the boys didn't seem so pleased, at least the girl looked interested.

Tell me about gender stereotypes.

I hate them, I always try to des construct misconceptions like gender roles, but sometimes bloody hell don't they fit perfectly?

I know, I'm a hypocrite.

But what the hell, boys could be less boys sometimes, they have a bloody pattern and it's not my bloody fault.

"Last time Hogwarts hosted the Tournament I was a student just like you and learned how to dance with Professor McGonagall help" Professor Longbottom said as elated as the Headmistress "Now it's time we teach you guys!"

He looked expectantly to Alice, who was by Lily's side.

Alice and my parents have told me previously how Professor Longbottom loves balls so he can dance the whole night, quite interesting that after the Yule Ball mum told me he became more extroverted, so apparently dancing helped him to overcome his insecurities.

Also he was the one who most enjoyed the ball with aunt Ginny because mum and dad had a typical fight, the one that helped dad notice his deep feelings for mum after seeing her beautifully dancing with a handsome and older Viktor Krum, and uncle Harry spent his night minding other people's business, as my dad always remarks.

"It's our time to make it a remarkable night!" Dom exclaimed elated.

I looked to Louis, who just rolled his eyes.

Uh, at least I'm not alone here.

The ball seems exactly what Lily needs to get back to her old cheerful self, after we talked everything got back to normal between us and I couldn't be more relieved.

Lily and I have always been best friends, like sisters that we didn't have and united together against our brothers and cousins.

Basically everybody in our family is best friends.

"I need some help tough…" Professor McGonagall said, looking around wondering.

I noticed as Albus, who was at my side, nudged Malfoy on his ribs.

"I hope she chooses you" my cousin said in a teasing tone.

"Shut it, Al" Scorpius scolded him, his amazing jaw line tense.

Merlin, I need to stop complimenting Scorpius every time I make a comment about him or his body parts.

What if I say something aloud? It just can't happen.

Al was giggling not very discreetly when Professor McGonagall called Scorpius' name.

He gave an accusing glance to Al and his intense grey eyes moved quickly to me before he turned with a polite beam to Professor McGonagall.

"Very well Mr. Malfoy" she said, her beam reaching her eyes behind her half moon glasses "On the three"

Professor Longbottom flicked his wand for the music to start, and then started to explain how we should do by pointing to the Headmistress and Malfoy dancing in the middle of the Great Hall.

I have to admit, I'm surprised.

But I shouldn't be.

Scorpius dances with so much class and so swiftly that makes me wonder how a boy can be such a gentleman.

But seriously, he's a Malfoy, he must have known how to dance like this before he knew how to walk, his family has a tradition for being classy. Also, his parents are marvellous dancers because I saw his mum and Mr. Malfoy in the annual ball of the Ministry of Magic that happens every year.

They nailed it!

Mum dances really well, but dad is a fiasco.

She doesn't even get mad anymore, they just enjoy themselves and have fun because everybody know that dad is incapable of learning to dance like that.

"Damn it" I heard a girl behind me saying.

"I know right?!" another one replied.

"Could he get any hotter?"

I rolled my eyes, feeling a sour taste in my mouth.

Bile.

"He doesn't even have to try" Albus remarked incredulous.

I remained quiet, trying to suppress my jealousy.

It's awful that I couldn't react l this because… No one knows Scorpius is… Taken?

I don't bloody fucking know what's the right expression, as I've tiredly pointed out many bloody fun King times.

The same girl behind me giggled after Al said that, taking his attention.

And mine as well, can't deny.

"Don't worry Potter" she said, winking cheekily to him "We think you're hot too"

"Ew" I exclaimed instantly while Al got a deep shade of red.

The fact is that Al doesn't notice, but he also is on of the most eligible bachelors in Hogwarts.

It's hard for me to picture Al as hot because he's my cousin and best friend and like a brother to me, we have seen each other naked before since birth and there's no embarrassment between us, we know everything about each other... - _not everything, right missy…_ Damn it, not myself again messing my own thoughts again.

Sometimes even I can't stand myself.

As weird as it sounds.

Anyway, Al doesn't look hot to me, but I know most girls think he is because I've heard many of them gossiping in the toilet and even had to deal with girls asking me if he's single.

His messed jet black hair apparently makes him look charming, his years of Quidditch made him thin and muscled (although Scorpius is more muscular than him), he is taller than most boys (Scorpius is even more) and his green eyes with his glasses make him look "cute yet totally bangable", not my words, of course.

The difference between Al and Scorpius though is that the latter has more attitude and confidence, way too much in my opinion, to ask girls out and interact with them without fearing to be rejected. I think it involves more the attitude than the appearance, when you have both it just becomes easy.

Scorpius knows how to use both qualities in his favour, but Al still hasn't mastered the "art" of flirting.

But you may ask, why Scorpius, the one who comes from a rejected and controversial family and suffered with prejudice from other students when he first arrived in Hogwarts for simply being a Malfoy, has more confidence than Albus, son of the most beloved wizard in the Wizarding World and therefore every beloved person as well that never had to face criticism and prejudice, on the contrary?

To me it seems quite obvious, Scorpius always had to gain strength to face the burden of being a Malfoy. Strength gives you confidence. Also, differently from Al, he doesn't live in his father shadows like my cousin, who looks exactly like uncle Harry and always had to live to the expectations of being as wonderful as his dad.

Scorpius, although facing negative things at the beginning, was able to build his own personality and gain people's admiration for who he became, who he is.

Al never had this opportunity, of being admired for who he is, he has always being adored just for being Harry Potter's nearly identical son. I think it left him unsure of who he is, unable to build his personality and then do things for himself, and not for being s bloody Potter.

Some people don't even remember Scorpius is Malfoy, or, when they remember his last name, it doesn't have a negative impact anymore as it used to have before people met him. He captivated everyone for being an awesome Quidditch player and captain (he broke records and won titles for Slytherin after long years), an outstanding student with remarkable academic achievements (just behind me, but I have to say we were almost tied through all these years), a great and caring friend (he's very popular in Hogwarts, everybody likes the bloke), and a really handsome and hot boy (his platinum blonde messy hair, his grey piercing eyes, his muscular body, his tall and built frame, his really kissable lips, he was pure manhood and he's still growing).

Great, did I notice that I'm totally over him?

Yes I did, at the end of the day I'm the lucky one that can kiss that lips anyway.

I giggled at this, receiving a strange glance from a moody Louis.

Actually I still haven't kissed him because I want to make things a bit hard for him and take a slower path so we can really restart properly.

I just don't know for how long I'll be able to restrain myself, I mean, have you ever looked to Scorpius?

He's pretty much irresistible.

But back to my reasoning, Scorpius is so captivating that even my whole family, his family's "enemies" for decades, like him.

Even my dad finds his company enjoyable. The parents adore how polite and well mannered he is. My Nana loves him so much that he always get a sweater from her every Christmas, it took Ella a year to get hers, and he got his first since the beginning he started going to the Burrow.

Scorpius even managed to captivate me, that used to hate him and now look at me, drooling for the bloke. I just hope he doesn't hurt me again, there's no coming back from being under his charms and I know that.

But anyway, what really amazes me is that Al and Scorpius are such best friends that I notice how important they are for each other. At the beginning when no one liked Scorpius without even talking to him, Albus was the one that approached and befriended him and helped him deal with the students' judgmental stares and comments.

Albus helped Scorpius overcome prejudice and rejection.

Nowadays, Scorpius helps Al to overcome his dad's shadows and build more confidence.

I can't deny that I feel so glad that they have each other.

A very handsome pair, I have to admit.

I understand why girls get all swooned over them, if I wasn't related to one of them I would probably think like this as well.

And being related to one of them didn't stop me from getting involved with the other.

I was giggling with myself when I noticed everybody suddenly got a pair and started to try to dance as the music changed.

Suddenly grey eyes were staring at me coming to my direction, but a blonde head got between us before he could reach me.

One of the girls that were talking about him and then to Al.

Nice.

I tried not to look disappointed when Al nudged me and asked me to dance with him so he didn't have to ask a random girl to be his pair.

I took a deep breath to recompose myself and pay attention to the task.

"You were totally out of this world during uncle Neville's explanation" Al pointed out to me as he placed one hand in my waist and the other held my hand.

"Just thinking" I admitted, feeling a bit uneasy to not be able to share my feelings with Al.

"You do that a lot" he mocked me.

"And you never do that" I retorted "Ouch!"

"Sorry!" Al apologised, his voice frustrated.

"Damn it, Al" I complained, feeling a deep pain in my feet "You are worse than uncle Harry"

"Hey!" he replied angrily "I'm not that bad…"

"Fuck" I complained again as my other feet was smashed by his.

"I give up!" Al announced, but before he could leave me I held him in his place.

"Listen to me, Potter" I said firmly "We are going to learn how to dance for this bloody ball and we'll do this together, ok?" I asked rhetorically.

He knows better than to say no to me.

"Okay" Al agreed defeated, but the beam on his face was rather grateful than anything else.

"Come on" I tried to reassure him "One, two, three"

While I continued to attempt to get at least one successful dance move with Albus I noticed an intense gaze in my back, but instead of looking to a girl getting all over Malfoy I decided to enjoy this time with Albus.

Because I don't take or ever will take my family for granted, I treasure every single moment with them at the fullest. At the end that's what really matters.

* * *

This week we had so many essays to do that Ella and I decided to spend as much free time we had in the library getting rid of all of them.

Also, it's a best friend's time that I am much in need with her after that party.

I was finishing my Potions essay while she was in Herbology researching about a weird plant that has I don't know how many bloody properties.

I looked to her.

Ella's hair was tousled as always, baggy hippie muggle clothes after a long day wearing uniforms, her eyes tired but concentrated on her task.

She's so lovely, her inner beauty shines through her, making her even more gorgeous on the outside.

"What?" she asked me, aware of my staring.

I just arched one on my eyebrows, the way that she knows exactly what I mean.

Years of friendship and getting to know each other, we did it so well that simple words, gestures or expression we manage to understand a whole sentence.

Crazy, I know.

But very fulfilling.

"Ella Grace…" I started, but of course she interrupted me.

"Don't 'Ella Grace' me, Rosie" she scolded me teasingly.

Ugh, sometimes she gets on my nerves, but in a good way.

Does it even make any sense?

"Right, I want to talk to you for a while now" Ella said in a serious tone "I've been feeling an… Odd feeling"

"What is that?" I asked, resting my parchment on my lap.

"I…" Ella seemed lost at words, which is not usual for her, she always has something to say about anything "I find boys such jerks…"

"Because they are, dear" I affirmed.

"Not just like this…" Ella had a wrinkle on her forehead, like if finding the correct words was being too hard for her "I don't feel attracted to them"

"Oh" I simply replied surprised, I wasn't expecting that at all "How can you be so sure?"

"I am not" she replied firmly "It's just what I'm feeling right now"

"Okay…" I muttered confused.

Am I such a shitty friend that I simply don't know what to say?

"What I mean is that recently only girls have been attracting me, and then at the party, I don't know, it…" she seemed a little confused, out of breath for babbling so much.

"I saw you, Ells" I reassured her.

"Oh" this time she was the one speechless "What do you think?" she asked me a bit apprehensive.

"What do you mean?" I asked confused this time.

"About me fancying girls and not boys" she explained, biting on her nails, a very bad habit that she has when she's nervous.

Which is rare, because Ella is so calm and peaceful.

"There's nothing wrong about that, Ella" I assured her "You can be whoever you want to be and like whoever you want to and I'll always be by your side, silly"

"Aww Rosie" she stood up quickly and threw herself over me in a tight hug, almost knocking me behind to the floor with my chair "Thank you for being so…"

"Amazing, outstanding, marvellous, diva?" I completed her sentence, making her laugh genuinely.

"Shhhhhh" we heard someone scolding us.

"Modest" Ella corrected me.

"You don't have to thank me for accepting you the way you are, if I didn't it would mean I'm not a decent friend" I told her, our hands together as she took a seat in front of me.

"You sure are" she almost had tears in her eyes "I was a bit afraid…"

"Why?" I asked.

Homosexuality has never been a problem in my family from both sides, it's part of being a human being, we can love whoever we want. Period. My parents always made clear to me that I am free to love, and that's what really matters.

"In case you haven't noticed, I'm weird" she mocked me, using my motto.

I said this when we met and she never forgets it.

"Seriously, Ella?" I retorted.

"Prejudice and everything, I don't know… Your opinion is important for me" she confessed "You're my sister, if you're okay with it, then there's nothing else to worry"

"You mustn't worry about other people's ignorance" I assured her "Are you a lesbian then?"

"I'm still so young to define myself" Ella said "Also, I don't think we need to label ourselves, I love human beings, that's it"

"That's what matters" I muttered, hugging her again "Now let's be weirdos together and finish our essays"

"We have been for the past five years, darling" Ella said affectionately, holding me tight before we returned to our essays.

* * *

On Saturday after lunch, Albus had the excellent idea, after asking for Headmistress MCGonagall's permission, that we should play a friendly Quidditch match. So around 4 pm I was heading to the pitch with Dom, James, Harper, Amelie and Fred by my side.

Al's idea was so cheer James a bit since the whole Violet-bet thing, so what's best than playing Quidditch.

"Okay everybody" Al said cheerfully as we arrived there.

All the rest was already waiting for us: Scorpius (of course I noticed him first), Stan, Louis, Hugo, Lily, Liam, Roxy, Matteo… oh I always get so tired of having to say everybody's names.

Basically all our social circle of friends and family are here and that's enough.

"Get out" Louis mocked Albus, who just showed him the middle finger.

"Manners, Albus" Teddy scolded Al playfully.

Since Teddy was the first born of our brood, and he is uncle Harry's godson, Teddy has always been like a big brother to Al, James and Lily. He's basically the only one that James truly respects.

At least right, James is terrible, like a hurricane.

"So, how's it going to be?" Dom asked while embraced with Stan.

Cute, but oh!

I looked to Scorpius who was beside Al, he was wearing the Slytherin uniform for training sessions, the green shirt highlighting his muscled torso, his hand holding tightly his broom.

He noticed my eyes eating him up and threw his arrogant smirk to me, making me instantly roll my eyes at his annoyance.

I wish I could just embrace him and enjoy a great time together with my family and friends. But how? Or when?

Or is all the stress that surely would come up with our possible future relationship even worth it?

"Team Al versus Team James!" Al announced excited.

"Shit" Hugo exclaimed.

"Oh no" Lucy complained.

"Not this bullshit again" Roxy said already tired.

Indeed an Al versus James is always stressful and someone always end up hurt or with a broken bone.

But they insist to keep this rivalry alive.

By scarifying our sanity.

"Shut up!" James yelled happily.

I looked around, all the family had beams on their faces just by seeing him so happy after such a tense and sad week.

Harper had the largest beam, looking elated to him.

After everything their friendship had been through, she has always been by his side.

How he cannot see it?

"Alright, let's pick!" Al exclaimed excited.

I rolled my eyes at his and James' excitement for their unfulfilling rivalry, but chuckled because they get really cute as well.

I noticed grey eyes staring at me, I could see a slightly annoyed expression on Scorpius' face. But I had no idea of why he was like this, I think I'll have to find out later.

Not that being with him is a problem.

Although we haven't been snogging, which is taking every single strength of my deep bones to resist Scorpius.

I wonder how he feels.

We barely had time to spend together with so many essays and my family always around and everything, even the patrol I had to leave him alone and cover for a Ravenclaw pair that got sick as Roxy asked me to do.

We're probably the couple with most odds against us, seriously.

Did I just use the word 'couple'?

Merlin…

"Rosie my sunflower" James called me after he had already picked Fred and Harper while Albus had Scorpius and Roxy in his team.

I rolled my eyes at his nickname to me, I may have a flower name, but I'm far from one.

In the end the teams were me, Harper, Liam, Stan, Fred, Louis, Matteo as Team James, against Team Albus that is Al himself, of course, Scorpius, Roxy, Lily, Hugo, Teddy, Dom, and Amelie.

Liam and Amelie would start in the bench and then we would switch so everybody could play since Quidditch are just seven players: one keeper, one seeker, two beaters and three chasers.

While Albus and I we are chasers, Scorpius and James are seekers, and very competitive ones.

Some say that they are the best seekers since uncle Harry, both of them have the same amount of titles and are surely the most adored Quidditch players.

You may wonder if Albus doesn't get jealous because his older brother and best friend get all the glory his dad used to have when he played as seeker for Gryffindor.

Actually, he loves that he doesn't need to be compared to his dad at least in Quidditch, he doesn't mind that the attention is not finally all over him but yes at his brother.

James doesn't mind, but also, he never feared comparison with his dad. He is, nonetheless, compared to his grandfather James Potter, but since he died such a long time ago he doesn't have to live to expectations of being like him, or worse, better than him.

The rest of our friends and family, like Ella, Molly, Alice, Frank, Jack, Lysander and Effie were at the bench watching us.

I could listen to "Go Al" and "Come on James" from them already and I have no doubt that it was going to be an epic match.

There's never a boring time with us Weasleys and Potters, I can't deny.

Both teams reunited around our captains in the middle of the field, James and Albus greeted each other with a firm handshake, each one teasing the other to see who would put more pressure to it.

Boys being boys.

Or even better, James and Albus being James and Albus.

Uncle Harry and aunt Ginny sometimes get so mad at their rivalry, but I know that also they enjoy seeing how close their sons are and how much they care for each other, although both are really dangerous together and always make a mess wherever they are.

"Good luck, little bro" James mocked Al, his hand still pressing his brother's.

"I don't need it" Al retorted confidently "We have talent"

Some around us whistled with the challenge, I just giggled because I'm so used to their dynamic.

Scorpius sighed, also used to it, and, as nobody apparently was noticed, winked at me and gave me a quick but very cute beam.

Oh, he melts my fucking heart.

"Let's go, team" James called us to gather around him.

As I passed by Scorpius, I shouldered him aside, just to keep things normal between us.

But instead of insulting me of just mocking my name with his typical 'Weasel' or anything like that, he cheekily and unexpectedly pinched my bum, making me squirm in horror that someone could have seen it.

"Scorpius!" I scolded him madly, looking around us afraid.

Nobody noticed, they probably just saw what I did and are supposing that he mocked me and that's why I yelled.

Or at least I hope so.

He approached me, his arrogant smirk covering his handsome face.

Merlin, I miss snogging him…

No, focus!

"Hmm when you call me by my name I always get…" he started saying but I shot him s deadly glare.

"Shut up, dumbass" I almost yelled desperate.

He chuckled, probably finding funny how he was making me so mad.

He's probably trying to get revenge, because I think I'm the one leaving him mad during the whole week.

We had flirty moments everyday, all of them in front of my family or our friends but managing to be discreet.

But Scorpius is not making things easy for me as well.

 _On Monday during Potions he would constantly hover over me to get the ingredients that were near me (since we are partners we have to seat together, otherwise he would be with Albus and I would be seated with Ella) making me feel his bloody scent that I know very well. I had to run away quickly right after the class finished because I was getting an oddly hot feeling through my whole body. His flirty beam made me realise that he was clearly and consciously playing with me._

 _Malfoy probably underestimate my wisdom if he thought I wouldn't notice his intention behind his moves._

 _Little did I know that it would get worse._

 _Much worse._

 _On Tuesday after our dancing class he spotted me alone in one of the corridors and trapped me between his arms against the stone cold wall._

 _"See you tonight" he muttered in my ear, his teeth so close to my lobe that I was shivering in delight._

 _"Actually" I took a deep breath, I cannot break my own promise, tell him that I wouldn't make things easy and then just throw myself over his muscled and insane body._

 _Merlin, to talk like this about him with so many adjectives doesn't help me at all._

 _"Actually?" he asked with presumption._

 _"I have to cover for the Ravenclaw prefects" I said quickly, trying not to pay attention to his delicious smell._

 _I just said this like if he were a food, for Merlin's beard!_

 _"What?" his arrogant smirk faded._

 _It would have been cute if I weren't trying to avoid his kissable lips._

 _"Roxy's commands" I simply said, planting a kiss on his cheek before leaving a baffled Malfoy behind me._

 _When I was almost turning the corner of the corridor I looked back to him, winking cheekily before running away, his frustrated but cute expression making my heart get warm._

 _On Wednesday afternoon our classes were cancelled because our History of Magic and Arithmancy professors one got sick and the other had to solve a personal problem, so most sixth years' Gryffindor, Slytherin and Ravenclaw decided to procrastinate and do nothing for the whole afternoon._

 _I had essays to finish so I went straight to the library, Scorpius also decided to be productive, but Albus didn't notice anything as he went back to the Slytherin Common Room to take a nap, Ella just tried to hide a small smile while Dom didn't even pay much attention, she just ran to find Stan._

 _Even though walking in front of him, I could sense his eyes devouring me, from head to toe._

 _As we arrived there and I tried my best to ignore him by finishing my parchments, I was almost celebrating a mission accomplished when he started to undress. In. Front. Of. Me._

 _"A bit warm in here, uh?" he asked me rhetorically and I noticed I was staring to him like a stalker._

 _How could I not?_

 _He first removed his black robe, then removed his grey v-neck jumper._

 _I tried to move my gaze somewhere that not his body, but I just didn't find enough strength in my to do so._

 _And seriously, why should I?_

 _I'm not going to snog him here, so there's nothing wrong about admiring his ridiculously incredible body._

 _Oh, what Quidditch does…_

 _"Are you serious?" I asked him, my eyebrow arched to him._

 _"What?" he retorted, then untying his green and silver tie, finally unbuttoning his white shirt._

 _Damn, a wet white shirt..._

 _I rolled my eyes at him, my attention back to my essay but not being able to fully concentrate._

 _"Fuck you, Malfoy" I muttered angrily, packing my things and leaving the library as fast as I could._

 _His arrogant chuckle as he walked behind me._

 _How long could I deal with it?_

 _After Thursday, when a younger girl from Beauxbatons couldn't stop complimenting Scorpius about how 'merveilleux' he looks thinking we couldn't understand French (I'm fluent because of aunt Fleur and my unsatisfying will of learning languages, and Malfoy because he's known for being polyglot - although he's best known for having other talents with his tongue than just speaking four different languages) that left him looking arrogantly to me while I kept rolling my eyes, and feeling a bit jealous, as we walked down the corridor with Albus to out next class in the morning, I finally decided to react and payback all the struggles he's putting me to._

 _On Friday during dinner I arrived at the Great Hall and instead of going to the Gryffindor table as usual, I walked confidently to the Slytherin table. A few students turned to look to me but I didn't care, as long as I can make those grey eyes turn darker._

 _I don't even sound like myself, right?_

 _But Scorpius pushed me too hard during the whole week, time for him to feel everything I've been through._

 _So I decided to dress my party look already for dinner, since tonight Jack is throwing a party for his birthday in the Gryffindor Common Room, a black simple strap dress, not too tight nor too loose, not too short but also still above my knees._

 _I wore a long wool coat just to keep me from cold but it was still opened, and of course my black combat boots, because I always wear them._

 _"Good evening, my dears" I said happily as I took a seat in front of Albus and Malfoy._

 _Both of them were looking to me with their mouths agape, just like the other boys from their Quidditch team, from third to seventh year boys._

 _I don't like to get attention to me, unlike Dom. It's not that I'm shy, but I am discreet. But Scorpius deserves this, and also, if he wants to play, let's play._

 _"Rosie!" Albus scolded me, looking around with an angry gaze to his teammates._

 _"Albus!" I replied, getting some mac'n'cheese, beef steak and potatoes to my plate._

 _"How can you eat so much and still be so hot, Rose?" one seventh year asked me, flashing me a smirk._

 _I rolled my eyes at his failed attempt to flirt, my attention back to my cousin._

 _Actually, to his best friend beside him, who had an annoyed expression on his face and dark grey eyes that I'm still learning to decode, although I could suppose._

 _"Why are you in your party dress already?" Albus asked me suspicious._

 _"Why not?" I retorted._

 _"I bet there's a boy in the game, you've been acting weirder than normal" Al replied._

 _I glanced discreetly to Scorpius, who just gulped and looked back at me quickly as well, an arrogant smirk in his face._

 _It's like if he thinks I'm dressed like this to him, how presumptuous!_

 _Boys are so ridiculous sometimes!_

 _"Sod off, Al" I said irritated._

 _"You've been way too happy recently and you were a pain in the ass in the past weeks…"_

 _"Why my humour improving has to be involved with a boy?" I asked pissed off._

 _Although he's right._

 _Should I feel a bit bad right now?_

 _Albus just rolled his eyes, dropping the subject._

 _"Weasel" Malfoy said annoyed "We're discussing Quidditch"_

 _"Maybe I could give some tips then" I retorted, faking a beam to him._

 _A few boys around us laughed, but his eyes were piercing me firmly, like if trying to say something to me._  
 _"Get. Out" he snapped at me._

 _"Hm" I took a sip of my pumpkin juice "No"_

 _I held his intense gaze with mine, when we compete things get back to normal apparently._

 _"Sexual tension here" someone mocked, earning an outrageous glance from Albus._

 _"Shut up!" he scolded._

 _I finished my meal listening to them talking about Quidditch, sometimes giving my opinion and making some jokes._

 _Albus' Slytherin friends and teammates actually like me, because we really have great conversations, and I also enjoy their company._

 _The only moody one was Scorpius sending me annoyed glances. At least this way Albus don't get suspicious about anything between us, because him and the rest of my family insist that there's someone in my life._

 _I chose to ignore Scorpius and sometimes send him playful smirks, making him roll his eyes but I could see his small smile._

 _I tried to ignore as well the feelings he makes me feel, but my heart raced just by the small smiles he would send to me._

 _We're definitely not the usual 'couple'._

 _At the party that night we didn't have the opportunity to stay alone since my whole family and all of our friends and other students were there - don't know how the Common Room had enough space for everybody though._

 _Every time, around five, that we tried to sneak out together someone would interrupt us. Quite frustrating if you ask me._

 _Anyway, we still enjoyed a lot with everybody, and that's what really counts, right?_

But I have to admit that I miss snogging him, and he's behaving so well recently.

I laughed with myself.

"So the plan is let's smash my brother's team!" James exclaimed.

"Of course that's your plan" Fred chuckled.

"That's bullshit" Harper mocked James.

A grimace took over his face.

James and Albus take their rivalry so seriously that suddenly James was back at being his annoying and loud self.

Albus had an excellent idea, at least his brother doesn't look like a zombie anymore.

Heartbreaks are awful for appearances.

"LET'S GO" James yelled determined and happy.

Nothing like Quidditch to heal wounds.

"Remind me to knock Al off his broom for making us do this" Louis told me, a bit annoyed, but still clearly happy for having James back.

"I'll help you" I assured him.

"At least we're great cousins for doing this for him" Louis pointed out.

"I don't know if it's worthy" I teased, but the beam on my face telling otherwise.

As the match started, things got heated easily.

James and Albus rivalry infected both teams, it was like if we were in the final of the House Cup. I had already marked five goals with Louis and Matteo, the Quaffle being passed easily between us, Fred was fierce defending our goal by blocking the other team's attack, and Harper and Stan were trying to help us by blocking the Bludgers.

James and Scorpius were looking for the Golden Snitch like crazy, but no sign of the small ball.

The match was almost tied, fifty for Team James against 30 for Team Albus.

Dom is an excellent chaser, together with Al and Lily I don't know how they weren't beating us easily. For us is not difficult to play as teams because we are always playing together for years, since we were children. We know each other's moves and how we play and how to play together.

In the end we have a lot of fun together, with our parents is even better.

But when we have a Team Albus versus Team James match, things don't go as smooth as it usually does.

On the contrary, things get really violent and tense.

I had to be careful not to get distracted by Scorpius, the way he flies with so much talent and power, it's hard to not get mesmerised.

His grey eyes, although far from me, locked with my blue ones, and I couldn't resist a beam to him as we just stood there in our broomsticks, looking at each other.

"ROSE!" he yelled at me, his eyes suddenly desperate.

Malfoy really called me by my first name in front of everybody?

"THE BLUDGER!" Malfoy yelled.

But before I could reply or tell him to fuck off for distracting me for being so handsome, a violent round jet-black ball knocked me off my broom, turning my vision suddenly dark as all I could feel beside a strong pain in my shoulder was my body falling fast in the sky to the Quidditch pitch.

"ROSE!" a desperate voice called me.

But it was the last thing I heard before everything turned black.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, my readers!

I'm so sorry for taking so long to update for you!

I had some time to myself and enjoy life after a few upsetting things happened to me, I want to write inspired and with quality, that wasn't the time. I had to recharge, and I did!

I'm much better now and I plan to update more frequently!

Thank you for being so comprehensible and supporting me!

I hope you guys enjoy Chapter 31 and please let me know what you guys think about it! There's much more to come, so don't give up on me and my story!

Here is a special thanks to my reviewers from last Chapter!

 _Lilucy_ – Thank you so much for supporting me and letting me know what you think about my story, I value your review a lot! I hope you enjoy Chapter 31!

 _AMBERJANUS_ – Thank you so much for your review!

 _AhsokaAmidala34_ – Thank you so much for your constant support! I'll try to make their lives less complicated, but I also think that is so important for things not being perfect and well all the time, I mean, life isn't like this, I want you guys to identify to them so you can enjoy even more my story! Hope you like Chapter 31 and please let me know what you think about it!

 _Guest_ – Thank you so much, anonymous! It means a lot!

I'll be waiting for your feedback,

Much love

 _Binki_


	32. Inside Out

_**Disclaimer:**_ I wish I had Jo's brilliant mind, but then I wouldn't be writing a fanfic, so I'll take not being the Wizarding World creator, just her fan that tries to writes as good as she does: which means I own nothing!

* * *

 **Mischief Managed**

 **Chapter Thirty-Two - Inside Out**

I've always known that a Team James vs Team Albus Quidditch match ends with someone hurt or a broken bone. But I never expect it to be me.

How dumb does this affirmation sounds? Nobody that gets hurt ever expects to be hurt, after all.

Perhaps the bludger affected my gifted brain, because I'm sounding like an idiot.

I could feel a presence beside me, the darkness, the coldness of the place, and now the pain in my shoulder and neck.

What the hell happened?

How am I not dead because as far as I remember, I was violently knocked out of my broom.

I should have hit the ground.

But did I?

I tried to move my eyelids, but nothing happened.

I tried to say something, asking for water since my throat felt so dry, but my lips couldn't move.

I tried to reach for the person who apparently was beside me, but my hand couldn't reach her or him, my hand couldn't move at all.

The feeling was so awful that suddenly I felt desperate, fear taking over me as I didn't understand what was going on, and worse, apparently couldn't do anything.

"She's restless" I heard a husky voice coming from beside me.

Scorpius.

My heart suddenly started to flutter, I could feel the warmth taking over my body, my stomach clenching.

Just by the sound of his voice.

And my will to touch him, talk to him, let him know I'm here.

I feel so pathetic.

"How can you know?" someone asked, sounding like Dom to me.

"She seems agitated" he replied, worry clear in his voice.

He's worried for me…

My heart clenched just thinking about it.

"She barely moved since you brought her here" Dom retorted sceptically.

"Shut up, Dom" Roxy scolded her, pissed off.

"Why are you so moody?" she asked.

"Because Rose is badly hurt, of course" Scorpius retorted, irritated as well.

"I could say you look even more handsome when you're worried for my cousin" Dom said mockingly "But Rosie would slap me for feeding your already giant and megalomaniac ego, so in respect for her I'll just mock you for calling each other for your first names"

"Seriously, Weasley?" he asked rhetorically.

I could totally picture that face he does when he says it, it even scares me how perfectly I can see his exact face with the minimum details in my head right now, just like if my eyes were open watching them.

"Dom…" Ella said this time, trying to hide her amusement but even I could sense it in her voice.

"How can you be so chill?" Roxy asked.

"Because that's Rose" she replied relaxed "She's tough just like the rest of us, Weasley girls"

There was no reply, but I wouldn't doubt if any of them rolled their eyes, I could even picture Roxy doing it right now.

"Also, she's just another victim of our cousins' insane rivalry in Quidditch" Dom muttered "Rosie will be fine"

"Fine" Malfoy mocked Dom imitating her voice in a high pitch tone.

"Hey" she probably slapped him as I heard a noise and his complain "Calm down, freaky boyfriend, she'll be fine" Dom made sure to say 'fine' with more emphasis.

But actually my heart started beating even more fast by the word 'boyfriend', the forbidden word in my vocabulary.

And his as well.

"Oh, look" Dom said surprised "You're not even denying it, you're really in love with her"

"Shut up, Dom" Scorpius scolded her, irritation clear in his voice "Now it's not the time for this"

"He's right, grow up, lady" Ella scolded Dom as well, I felt someone holding my hand, by being the same size as mine, I suppose it's from one of the girls.

"Well" Roxy said "Even I have to say that I'm surprised, Scorpius"

"Really?" he asked rhetorically "Even you, Roxy?"

"You can't blame us" Ella exclaimed now, almost making me chuckle - if I could I would have.

But they probably wouldn't be having this conversation in front of me.

I mean, they are literally in front of me, but they don't know I can listen to them, so it's almost like if I wasn't.

I don't even know how I'm being able to listen to them, actually.

There was a silence, and a sigh that I grew accustomed to.

"What?" he asked tired.

I wanted so much to hold Malfoy and just tease him for being interrogated by my cousins and best friend.

But for some bloody reason I just can't.

"We know Rosie's version of the facts" Dom commented, implying something by her tone of voice.

"Hm" it was all that Scorpius replied, almost like if not paying attention.

Or pretending not to.

I bet he's playing dumb by pretending to not be getting what Dom is implying so he doesn't have to say anything.

"So?" Roxy asked curiously.

To which Malfoy just sighed again.

When have I started to guess how Malfoy acts so accurately?

"Scorpius!" Ella scolded him "Don't make us beg!"

Oh yeah, when suddenly my feelings started to blossom for the guy.

Which is Arabella's fault for making me so jealous that bloody night on Halloween.

There was a silence, and I'm sure he's rolling his eyes at the girls bothering him to do something he doesn't like to: open up to other people about his feelings.

Because if I'm not wrong, I suppose that Dom, Ella and Roxy want to know how we got involved by his version of the facts.

"I will definitely make you beg" he replied mischievously.

Even I am curious now, never thought about how he sees our… Relationship? Involvement?

"You're a git" Dom complained.

I agree.

"Twat" Roxy completed in agreement.

Roxy's vocabulary never disappoints me.

"Woah" Scorpius mocked them "Should I feel offended by such immature remarks about my charismatic and enchanted personality?"

"Prat" Ella coughed, making them all laugh.

I wish I could be watching this scene.

I just love how my family and friends are so comfortable around each other.

It warms my heart.

"Sometimes I wonder how our beloved and superintelligent Rosie ended up with a narcissist like you?" Roxy asked rhetorically.

I wonder the same, Roxy.

I wish I could say it aloud.

"Charming is the proper word, not even her was able to resist me" he said teasing them.

"Whatever" Dom retorted "I want to know why did you bloody hang out with Arabella"

"Yeah, that was low" Roxy agreed.

There was a silence, suddenly the atmosphere felt serious.

"It's just…" he paused.

"Complicated?" Ella asked, but didn't even wait for his response "I wouldn't expect less from you and Rosie, seriously"

"What do you mean?" Scorpius retorted, an uncertain tone.

Is this supposed to me an offence?

"Isn't it obvious?" Roxy asked rhetorically "You've basically hated each other for years, but had to coexist for Albus' sake and grew so used to each other, even if just bickering and insulting one another, that the sexual tension between the two of you was almost unbearable"

"What?" Scorpius seemed so lost.

"You're so dumb when the subject isn't academic but feeling and emotion related" Dom pointed out.

I almost chuckled, if I could.

It's so true.

"Hey" he protested.

"Don't you 'hey' me, sir" Dom retorted "You and Rosie are a nightmare"

"But a cute couple" Roxy complimented.

Why my heart beats so fast when people use words like this? 'Couple', 'relationship', 'love', 'boyfriend'.

"Anyway" Ella continued "It was really obvious for me that you would end up together eventually"

"Really?" Dom asked surprised.

"Sure" Ella replied "I know Rosie, she has a thing for tall blondes"

"Never thought Scorpius would be exactly her type tough" Roxy muttered.

"Well" Dom paused "He has his appeal"

"But lacks maturity" Roxy said.

"Don't us all?" Ella asked, making them agree.

"Don't talk about us like we're not here" Scorpius complained.

Merlin!

"Oh, so cute, Malfoy" Dom mocked him.

"He's already using 'we' to talk about them!" Ella teased him as well.

"Like an item" Roxy finished.

Blimey, they are terrible today.

"You girls are terrible" he repeated my thoughts.

Connected much?

I suddenly felt my movements getting back to my body as my eyelids fluttered, my hands still feel heavy, but now I could feel a bit of pain in my shoulder and arm, as well as my back.

Ouch, it was more comfortable before when I couldn't feel anything at all.

That's reality, it sucks.

"Excuse me" I heard Madam Clarke's voice "But I need you all to return to your common rooms, it's late"

"Oh come on, Madam Clarke" Dom complained.

Of the many things I like about Dom is that she's never afraid to express herself, she doesn't restrain her spontaneous and extroverted way.

Madam Clarke is lovely and has taken care of all of us since we entered Hogwarts, but she's also very serious and professional.

"I already allowed you to spend the night here last week when your Bulgarian boyfriend felt ill, so don't ask me for more, Miss Weasley" Madam Clarke silenced my cousin.

"But…"

"Help me here, Head Girl" Madam Clarke said to Roxy.

Sometimes Dom reminds me of James.

"Come on, folks" Roxy urged them.

"Yeah, we just came to see Rosie and bring dinner to Scorpius" Ella told her.

"Mr. Malfoy, you've been here since morning" Madam Clarke said "Why don't you go to get some rest?"

What? Since morning? Now it's evening already?

And he spent the whole day here with me?

I WANT TO KISS HIM SO BADLY RIGHT NOW.

Damn holy hormones!

"He's the boyfriend" Dom mocked him "It's his duty"

The pause I supposed was probably Madam Clarke confused glance to Malfoy since…

"Both of you never tricked me with your exaggerated loathe for each other that made you visit me every month" Madam Clarke pointed out.

Well, indeed we would always prank each other and end up here for Madam Clarke to solve the problem.

Great old times.

"We've told him already" Ella chuckled.

I noticed that my lips were sensitive again.

I think I may be waking up, like fully waking up with my body.

Not just my consciousness.

"So" Scorpius sighed "Can I stay?" he asked.

"What?" Madam Clarke retorted confused.

"Since Dom was allowed to stay here last week…" Malfoy muttered.

"Just for those who already officialised their relationship" Dom teased.

"You are unbearable, Dominique" Scorpius complained, but I could sense the beam on his face just by the way his voice sounded.

Creepy much, uh?

"Miss Weasley is kind of right…" Madam Clarke said playfully.

Dear lord, even her?

"Even you, Madam Clarke?" Scorpius asked baffled.

"These are the rules" Roxy snapped back.

"Oh, really?" he exclaimed sarcastically "Enlighten me then"

"Merlin" Ella scolded him "Just say it so we can leave, please"

Silence.

"Or the two of us and Madam Clarke won't leave you alone" Ella tried to make his mind.

"Fine" he agreed "Boyfriend here, I stay, you get out"

"YEAH" Dom exclaimed elated "Finally!"

I heard Ella and Roxy laughing, and even Madam Clarke joined them.

"I just said it because you were blackmailing me, and you're bloody annoying" he defended himself.

I tried to suppress the teeth biting my lips slightly, but I don't know if I managed it.

How I still haven't opened my eyes I don't know, I wish I could have seen him saying this.

But again, he wouldn't if I was awake and he knew I was listening.

Merlin, how many great conversations do I lose just by not being around?

Eavesdropping is rewarding.

"I'll tell Rosie when she's awake" Dom the reacted Malfoy.

"Are you seriously blackmailing me?" he retorted "Again?"

"Kind of" she replied.

"Ok, that's enough" Ella said "Take care of her, Scorpius"

I heard footsteps.

"Anything you need just call us, you know that" Roxy said, her voice getting distant from me.

"Don't worry" he replied "There's a Weasley in each corner of this castle"

"Hey!" Dom protested, but her voice was getting low "Don't talk about us like we're rabbits"

"I like rabbits" I heard Ella saying.

I almost rolled my eyes at the comical dialogue.

"They are indeed everywhere" Madam Clarke agreed.

"They are mad" Scorpius pointed out.

"I'll get going to my room, Mr. Malfoy, anything you need just call me, you know where to find me" she left the Hospital Wing, her footsteps fading away.

I heard Scorpius yawning, and decided to finally start to wake up so we could cherish some moment alone after such time apart during the week.

First I tried moving my eyelids, they were heavier than normal, my lips pressing together, my hand putting a small pressure over his.

Slowly I adjusted myself back to my own body.

"Rose?" Scorpius asked as he startled under my touch.

At his voice I finally opened my eyes, looking around me and focusing on his curious face looking at me by my side.

"Hey" my voice sounded rough, my throat dry.

"How are you feeling?" he asked me tenderly.

"Thirsty" I said slowly, my eyes looking around for water.

Malfoy stood up instantly, getting some water from the table at my feet and pouring into a glass.

"It may be painful, okay?" he assured me as he helped me sit properly, adjusting the pillows in my back.

"Ouch" I complained, the pain in my left shoulder, arm and back intensifying more than I expected.

"I know" he said, handing me the glass of water as he took a seat again by my bedside "It was a violent knock"

"What happened?" I asked, my throat much better after drinking the fresh water.

"Someone knocked you out violently off your broom but no one knows exactly who did it" he told me, but his voice not convinced.

"Why you don't sound okay about it?" I asked him curious.

"Because I'm sure the person doesn't want to assume the blame" Scorpius said, pushing my ginger hair from my face and putting it behind my ear.

"Thank you" I replied, my voice sounding much better.

"There's no need to thank me" he said, a worried look in his face "How long have you been awake?"

"Hm" I gulped, trying not to sound obvious that I heard his conversation with my cousins and Madam Clarke "I just woke up, why?"

"Just wondering" he replied, his eyes reading me cautiously.

Time to play dumb.

"Did I miss something?" I asked innocently, but it raised his eyebrows.

"No" Scorpius replied slowly, his eyes tight with suspicious.

"I'm hungry" I said at the same time by belly practically roared.

"You're not very discreet, Weasel" he mocked me.

Oh, are we back to last names then?

"Piss off, Malfoy" I rolled my eyes, making him chuckle lightly.

"I'll be right back" he told me.

"What?" I asked, trying not to sound desperate but feeling miserable.

"Are you seriously thinking I would leave you here alone?" Scorpius retorted a bit offended.

"Since when are you so nice?" I retorted back, trying not to say that I knew he had been here since morning, not leaving my side any minute.

My heart starts beating faster just at the thought of him being so caring with me.

"Will you stay okay in my absence?" he ignored me "I think I need to change clothes, but it won't take long"

I gulped, not enjoying staying alone when his presence is so… Warming, and makes me feel safe.

"You should indeed, you're smelly" I teased him, laughing at his offended face.

But instead of retorting Scorpius just beamed to me, a genuine beam.

Merlin, as if he couldn't get any more handsome.

Winking at my direction, he left the Hospital Wing, turning around one last time to look at me before disappearing.

While Scorpius was out, I tried to process his conversation, my feelings and thoughts about it.

I never pictured myself dating someone, but I never ever had thought about dating Scorpius Malfoy. But also, the possibility of snogging him also hadn't crossed my mind at the beginning of the year and look where I am, what I've done so far, all the things we went through together, all the feelings we developed for each other and managed to tell one another about it.

And being reciprocated.

A miracle? Perhaps.

Karma? My poor father would say so.

I would never forget that day at the Platform 9 ¾ when I first saw him, Scorpius, and our eyes first met. It was electrifying already back there.

Sometimes I do feel that destiny is mocking our parents, my dad and Mr. Malfoy.

The families have been kind of enemies for a long time, our fathers hate each other, and my dad warned me about him even before I was a Hogwarts student officially.

And here I am, developing growing feelings for his enemy's son, who I used to hate as well.

What the fuck happened?

Nana Molly always told me how feeling are an art we cannot master, we just can't control them, we can try to tame them, but never have a full control indeed.

We just feel, it's abstract, it's overwhelming, it touches deeply and changes us, inside out.

Suddenly footsteps could be heard and he was back.

I tried to not express how relieved I am for seeing him here again, but the beam was plastered over my face.

He didn't try to hide his own beam as well.

Our expressions were matching, we are both glad just by each other's presence.

He's back, it just warmed heart.

Putting a tray over me, Scorpius placed in my front a plate full of food and a glass full of juice.

He's back and brought me dinner?

I tried not to look adoringly to him, but I just couldn't avoid.

"I'm too nice for you, I know" he said arrogantly, but in a teasing not totally annoying way.

I rolled my eyes, but couldn't avoid a beam.

"You're feeding me" I stated, probably looking like an idiot for smiling so bloody much.

Scorpius chuckled, surprised by my choice of words, but just agreed with a nod.

He helped me cut my beef steak since my left arm is bruised, but I managed to eat just fine with only my right hand.

I ate almost quietly and desperate, noticing only now how hungry I actually am, devouring my food.

I could sense his gaze over me, watching me, analysing me, the frown on his face clearly showing he's in deep thought.

His grey eyes seem to be fighting an inner battle.

"Why do you look so conflicted?" I asked him not being able to restrain my curiosity.

"How do you know?" he asked surprised.

Blimey, I am really learning how to read him I guess.

"Just tell me, Scorpius" I said softly, his eyes less dark after I used his first name.

Does he really like it so much when I call him like this instead of Malfoy? Or ferret, but I understand why anybody wouldn't like to be called like this.

"I have to admit something" Scorpius turned to me, his grey eyes lighter than before.

I nodded for him to keep talking, putting the last piece of my food, a whole broccoli, inside my mouth.

I missed you, broccoli.

"I got so bloody scared watching you fall so fast to the ground, unconscious" he looked to the ground, but his intense gaze was back to my face.

His eyes were piercing me so much that I could sense the determination in them.

"Why?" I asked curious, it came out so spontaneously that it felt good not to overthink about whether I should ask him or not and why should I and the implications about it, his possible replies, and bla bla bla.

I really need to chill a bit.

"Because…" he stopped, his eyes full of thoughts.

Conflicts.

Silence.

Sigh.

"Scorpius" I called him, touching his face so he could look to me, eye to eye "I'm aware how tough it is for you to open up and let these walls down"

"Yep, you already understand how I am" he sighed.

"I pay attention to you" I admitted.

"Actually you devour me alive, I notice how you always admire my arse" he mocked me, making me slap his face playfully, both of us laughing.

"I won't deny it" I said, feeling incredibly well for being so comfortable around him "But we're in this together, you know"

"Together?" he asked cautiously.

"Whatever we have" I muttered slowly "I cherish it"

My eyes were looking intensively to his, his gaze holding mine firmly.

Merlin, I love how firm and determined he is.

Love? SHUT UP.

Wrong choice of adjective.

"I cherish…" I paused, choosing my words carefully "Us"

I find it incredible how when I am comfortable with someone I have the guts to speak spontaneously, without having to restrain myself from being… Me. It's great to feel comfortable to talk whatever comes to your mind, it means intimacy.

Well, Malfoy and I have been snogging for the past months, of course we are intimate.

But that's not the kind of intimacy I am talking about, not everybody you snog you feel comfortable afterwards, on the contrary, usually people get shy.

I think it means that Malfoy and I are really developing a relationship.

Whatever it may be, we don't need to label it, right?

Right.

I assured myself.

Scorpius moved, slowly approaching me, his forehead touching mine, his eyes closed, his breath calm.

I closed my eyes as well, enjoying the feelings, the moment.

There was something really intimate about being like this, the silence sounding comfortable instead of making me feel uneasy.

I felt connected to him, our feelings in synchronicity.

"You make me feel in a way I had never felt before" Scorpius whispered, like if telling me a secret "I don't know exactly why I felt so desperate watching you fall, but I did…"

I looked into his eyes, his grey storming eyes, dragging me to him like gravity, controlling my inner self just by staring at me.

"And then all I could think about was that I had to get you before you hit the ground" he sighed, pain clear in his eyes as he remembered about the moment.

It touched me deeply seeing him like this because of me, most guys I had a thing we never got so involved to a point where we really cared about each other.

Don't get me wrong, I care about people because I am very empathetic, but boys can be quite cold and unfazed.

I won't discuss the topic about how sexism affects them as well when they are portrayed as not allowed to be sensitive and show emotions.

"Not just that I had, it was my duty" his eyes were piercing mine so intensively that I almost felt out of breath.

"Why is that?" I asked confused "You're not my dad, or uncle, or brother, or cousin, or boy…"

But I stopped before I could say 'the' word.

Although I had heard him saying it quite unfazed when they thought I was sleeping, he just said that's so he could spend the night with me at the Hospital Wing.

Yeah, but question is why would he do it? He doesn't need to.

"But I am your…" Scorpius paused, gulping " _Friend"_ he said, grimacing.

What?

"Why does it sound so wrong?" I asked him aloud, clearly thinking and saying to at the same time, before I could even reflect if it was wise enough to open up like this to him.

Who am I trying to fool, why shouldn't I say it? It's what I think.

"I know, right" he replied, chuckling "I'm relieved you said it because it's exactly what I'm feeling"

I laughed with him, my hand caressing his platinum blonde hair, so soft, and then messing it.

"You can tell me anything" I assured him, a small smile in my face.

"I have to because apparently you learned how to read me" Scorpius said, pretending to complain.

"Why you don't seem so bothered about it?" I asked curious and surprised.

"Because I finally found someone who can understand me just by looking at me" he confessed, his expression clearly surprised with himself.

I chuckled, finding so entertaining to be able to read him so clearly.

"I can understand you because you allowed me to read you" I pointed out "Before I couldn't because you didn't want to" I said, hurt clear in my voice.

"Rose" he said, holding my hand "I've never allowed anyone in my life like this before"

I sighed, always getting breathless when he said things like this.

"I'm learning how to… Open up to someone" Scorpius was biting on his lips, trying to suppress a smirk "It takes a time before I trust people"

I felt like there was a whole story behind it, but now it's not the time for it. But the fact that he is starting to open up to me means a lot, I don't take for granted when people consider me trustworthy.

I feel so tired, even though I apparently slept during the whole afternoon, and he does look tired too.

The pain doesn't help me very much as well.

"So, friend" I mocked him, making Malfoy genuinely laugh "Why don't you take a rest?"

His face fell, a sad expression taking over his features.

"I won't leave you alone" he protested determined, making my heart flutter "It took me a lot to bribe Madam Clarke to let me stay here with you"

"Really?" I asked him cynically, pretending I didn't know.

"Yep" he said, averting his gaze from me, his cheeks slightly crimson.

Merlin, he's so cute that I want to embrace him and never let him go.

Look at the things I'm thinking.

Too cheesy.

Yet so right.

"Tell me about it…" I demanded, trying not to laugh at his face.

Scorpius looked at me suspiciously, his eyes analysing me.

"No" he simply replied stubbornly "And I won't leave, it's actually really rude of you to ask me to lea…"

"Merlin, shut up" I chuckled, touching his biceps to stop him from babbling like a child.

Focus.

Focus.

Don't make a remark about how muscled he is and how you hyperventilate every time you look, or worse, touch him.

"Come here" I said to him, trying to move to the side to give him space.

His face was surprised, not expecting such an invitation from me.

I'm feeling so much pain that only him can take it away so I can sleep in peace.

I miss being so close to him, it's exactly what I need tonight since we're finally alone.

Scorpius finally reacted to what I said, helping me to move to the side carefully before lying on my bed beside be, turning his body to face me.

The hospital bed was bigger than mine, and incredibly comfortable.

It fitted the two of us perfectly.

"I like it" Scorpius said, a beam on his handsome face.

"What?" I wondered.

"Due to the lack of space" he pointed out, covering his body with the warm blanket "We'll have to sleep very close"

Just as he said that, I felt his right arm snaking around my waist, carefully bringing me closer to him.

I laughed at his mischievous grin, not minding our proximity.

Actually, it's exactly what I wanted.

We stayed there in silence for a while, just staring at each other's eyes.

You know you're close to someone when moments like this happened and you don't feel unsettled.

"Oh you're so clingy" I mocked him, but left a kiss on his cheek anyway, making him beam.

"I saved your life" he remembered me, making me roll my eyes.

"Thank you about that" I said, a serious tone in my voice "I appreciate it"

"No need to thank me" he replied, his arm bringing me even closer to him and holding me firmly, but still carefully.

"You're adorable" I confessed, resting my head on the crook of his neck, my body fitting on his toned body.

"Do I get a kiss right now?" he asked teasingly.

"Are you already in abstinence?" I mocked him, referring to the fact that we still hadn't snogged.

"You're so mean" he remarked, making me chuckle.

I could feel sleepy and tired, yawning as I felt Scorpius chuckling and then kissing my head tenderly.

"Sleep well, Rosie" he whispered in my ear, sending shivers down my spine.

I simply kissed his neck as a response, before falling asleep in - I know, how cheesy - his arms.

But how could I resist Scorpius Malfoy and him holding me like this? Why should I?

* * *

On Monday I was better and desperate to leave the Hospital Wing, so Ella and Albus went there to help me and walk with me to the Great Hall so we could take breakfast together.

With my whole family as well.

"ROSIE" James yelled when he saw me, drawing the attention of all the students in the Great Hall.

"He looks much better" I muttered to Al.

"He's back to being annoying" my cousin replied, holding my backpack to me.

"Your fault, Al" Ella said accusingly.

"I know, sometimes I wonder if it was better when he had a broken heart so he wouldn't be back to his loud self" Al said sighing.

"You're mean" I mocked him, taking a seat beside Dom and Lucy.

"Welcome back, Rosie" Molly said warmly.

All my family greeted me happily, asking me a bunch of questions and expressing how concern they were with me.

They even put all the food available in front of me without remarking how I eat like a troll or how I wouldn't leave any food for the rest of them.

Apparently they are just really happy that I'm back.

"Did you really miss me so much?" I asked them surprised, eating a red velvet cake.

"I thought we wouldn't, actually" Hugo said sincerely.

"But we did" Louis completed, making me laugh at them.

"Even Malfoy missed you" Fred said, and at the mention of his name my whole family and I turned to look to the platinum blonde haired boy sat at the Slytherin table with a scowl on his face that got deeper when he noticed everybody looking what him.

"Sod off" he told us grumpily, making me laugh.

It caught his attention, his scowl getting less prominent.

"How come?" I asked to my family.

"There was no one for him to argue with" Fred said, rolling his eyes "He was annoying since he had no one to annoy"

"He's the one who saved you after all" Molly said impressed, ignoring Fred's remarks.

"What I'm wondering is why nobody in my family tried to do it" I mocked them, earning weird glances.

"But Malfoy reacted so fast that we didn't even have time to do something" Fred said, taking a sip of his pumpkin juice.

"I had never seen him so mad, actually" Albus pointed out "You ruined our game Rosie, he loves Team Al vs Team James"

"Oh Merlin" was all that Dom said, slapping Albus on the back of his head.

Roxy as laughing quietly while Ella just rolled her eyes at Albus' remark.

"Yeah, sure" Dom said ironically "That's why Scorpius was so mad"

"Albus is so oblivious" Ella whispered to Roxy, making me kick her ankles under he table "Ouch!"

"No offence, Rosie" Al said, not even getting what Dom was implying.

Perhaps because to him whatever Dom may imply between Malfoy and I seems impossible to him.

"None taken, Al" I giggled, feeling a bit guilty for not telling him about Scorpius and I.

The question is, we aren't dating, so why to tell Al about something that isn't… Official?

Suddenly there was a silence in the Great Hall, and I froze desperate if I had said aloud what I just thought.

But no, as I looked in the direction of everybody's gaze, a girl was standing at the Great Hall entrance, her eyes uncertain until they looked to us, and started walking to our direction.

Heather was back, looking less arrogant than before, but her essence still there just by the way she was walking with her head held high.

"Weasley, Marchand, Potter" she said firmly, standing in front of Roxy and Amelie, looking as well to Lily who was a bit far "I just wanted to apologise for what I've done"

I held my breath, surprised by what was happening in front of me.

I could feel the tension in the air.

"She's mental" Lucy said aloud to me, earning a reproving look from her sister while all of us tried to suppress a chuckle.

Lucy is one if a kind.

"Sure" Roxy replied, standing up and shaking hands with Heather.

Roxy is such a leader.

Amelie nodded and greeted Heather as well, but remained silent.

Lily just stared at her, a blank expression on her face, Matteo holding her hand firmly, Alice looking apprehensive to her.

"I hope you're better" my cousin said sincerely.

"I am improving" Heather muttered "Good luck in the final task"

She left to join the Slytherin table, a few murmurs being heard from all the tables.

I had even forgotten how close the final task is, in two weeks we would know who's the Triwizard Champion, and I hope we don't have any more problems in the Tournament.

I noticed how pale Dom got, she was looking sadly to the Slytherin table Stan was seated with his Durmstrang friends.

She had told me how apprehensive she's about dating from afar.

Relationships are already so bloody complicated when you're close, can't even imagine how it must be when people are apart, in other countries.

* * *

For this week, Teddy decided it would be great to have a different kind of class of Defence against the Dark Arts.

So when we arrived for our class on Thursday with Slytherin, Albus, Dom and I were the only ones not jumping of excitement when we saw uncle Harry and my dad standing beside Teddy in front of the class.

"BLOODY HELL" I heard someone exclaiming.

"It's Harry Potter!"

"Ron Weasley is here!"

"The best Aurors Britain ever had"

"They are my inspirations in Quidditch, actually the whole family"

"Quiet" Teddy scolded the class "For our next subject I invited two of the greatest wizards in Defence Against the Dark Arts that I know"

"Can't believe dad didn't tell me he was coming over" Al whispered to Dom, Scorpius and I.

I was aware that Scorpius was standing behind me, his hands discreetly placed on my waist as he kept drawing circles over my clothes just to tease me. In front of my dad, who kept looking excited to me.

I miss my parents so much, I'm a daddy and mum's girl, just like Hugo. Our family bond is so tight that when we see each other after spending time apart we can't contain our happiness.

I was struggling to not go there and simply hug dad while trying not to get distracted my Scorpius' soft touch.

"I invited aunt Hermione, but she's too busy being the Minister for Magic" Teddy told us, making the whole class giggle.

"Merlin, my future brother-in-law is getting old already" Dom remarked incredulous "Making silly jokes like a retired middle-aged worker"

"Shut up" I scolded her, giggling.

The whole class was listening about the Patronum charm, which my uncle Harry mastered when he was just a third year student.

I know, he has always been brilliant and incredibly skilled in DADA.

We've heard a lot about this charm back at home, and we couldn't wait to discover which animal shape our Patronums would be.

"When conjuring the Patronum charm it requires more than spelling correctly 'Expecto Patronum' and doing the proper movement with your wand" dad said, the serious face not fitting him.

Although a joker, dad is very competent and professional when it comes to his job. Even after retiring from being an Auror and taking over uncle George's store, he's still consulted about his former job and accompanies uncle Harry in official meetings as his right arm, as they have always been since when they first met at the Hogwarts Express.

"When conjuring the Patronum charm you need to concentrate on your happiest memories for it to properly work, to conjure a strong charm, what we call a spirit guardian that is a projection of all your most positive feelings" uncle Harry said, walking to the empty middle of the class with my dad, where all of us were standing around in a circle.

"The Patronum charm is difficult, and isn't uncommon for wizards and witches being unable to produce a full corporeal Patronum, that usually takes the shape of the animal with whom we share the deepest affinity" Teddy said "But most of the time your animal doesn't make sense and you may never understand why such animal is your spirit guardian"

"Anyway, let's practice!" my dad said, inviting us to join them.

I walked towards dad, actually ran, throwing myself in his arms.

"Hey, Rosie" he greeted me affectionately, holding me tight in his arms "I missed you, little one"

Ouch, it still hurts.

It's the same thing when I hug mum and dad, they smell like home and I feel tremendously nostalgic.

"Hi, dad" I replied, holding him tight as well, but failing not to complain about my pain "I missed you too"

"What's wrong?" he asked me worried.

After I told him abou what happened, with Al adding how heroically Scorpius saved me, dad patted Malfoy grateful on his shoulder before hugging him.

What a sight.

"Wait for him to know what you guys did afterwards" Dom teased me.

I elbowed her ribs painfully for her to shut up.

Scorpius seemed surprised, but not nervous, reassuring my dad how I was okay now, just a bit bruised.

Malfoy reassuring my own father about my well-being, how awful.

"Hey, how's my goddaughter?" I hear a soft voice from behind me.

I grinned, glad to see him in front of me, his warming beam making me feel even more nostalgic.

Greeting uncle Harry, I hugged my godfather tightly but carefully as well, feeling a bit emotional of how much I was missing home and the Burrow and having the whole family gathered together.

I watched as Albus and uncle Harry had a tight and long hug as well, the resemblance between the two of them getting each time more evident as they stood side my side, tousled jet black hair, bright green Lily Potter eyes, both of them fixing their glasses, the same, on their faces.

Dom, Scorpius, Ella and I laughed at this, earning a confused look from them.

Here's the thing, my dad really likes Scorpius, they get along incredibly well.

They have similar interests, like Quidditch, the Auror career, cars and, believe me or not… Muggle football. Perhaps that's what makes they bond more than the others, only they know about muggle football, besides Hugo.

"Look at Scorpius" Dom whispered to Ella and I "Having chit-chat with his father-in-law"

Both of them giggled, making me just roll my eyes.

"I always had the impression he tried to impress Mr. Weasley" Ella muttered "Now he's messing around with his daughter I bet he's desperate to bond with his father-in-law"

"Could you two stop your chit-chat" I mocked them "We need to practice"

They giggled at me, but we stayed in a circle together anyway.

"Expecto Patronum!" Dom exclaimed, a thin and silver light coming from the tip of her wand, but not strong enough to gain a shape.

"I don't know which is my happiest memory" Ella said, she and Dom engaging in a conversation about it while they kept trying.

I looked around me, nobody had yet performed the spell.

Scorpius and Albus were close to my dad and uncle Harry, listening to their advices, other students around them as well.

I looked to dad, his ginger hair, the exact colour as mine, his bright blue eyes, the exact shade as mine as well, the few wrinkles on his face, the broad beam in his features.

I have amazing childhood memories, most of them with my parents and cousins and uncles and aunties, and grandparents and Ella.

It's so hard to pick one or even pick a few to concentrate.

But that's when that beam left me breathless, as usual. He was looking to me, his grey eyes shining as we exchanged glances.

My heart skipped a beat, remembering when we told each other about our feelings and this weekend together at the Hospital Wing, when we felt so comfortable with each other. I also remembered those times we snogged and when I felt that it wasn't just a simple snog anymore, and how much I missed it.

Before I could rationalise, I simply conjured those words my dad and uncle Harry taught us, and a thin silver light suddenly got bigger and took the shape of a big owl.

I beamed elated, not believing I had finally discovered the animal of my Patronum charm.

I looked to my dad expectantly, since we've always wondered about it.

Mum and Hugo will be so glad to know about it!

"Well done, Rosie" dad approached me, watching mesmerised as the owl was flying around the class, disappearing when the silver light approached the big glass window, like if the owl had really winged out "Thanks Merlin she inherited Mione's brain" he told uncle Harry proud, but the whole class heard.

I looked around aware of all the attention over me, I'm not shy, but I don't like to draw attention like Dom.

My eyes locked with grey ones staring… Proudly? At me…

That's not a look I'm used seeing in Scorpius' face.

"I bet you remembered about that summer at the Burrow when I taught you how to fly, right, Rosie?" dad asked me expectantly.

I averted my gaze from Scorpius, hoping that no one had noticed, to look at my dad.

"Ye-Yeah, dad" I agreed not to hurt his feelings.

Of course I remembered about that day, indeed, it's one my of happiest and most treasured memories, but I have to admit that Scorpius added a lot to those memories, to my positive feelings.

Damn it, I'm so screwed!

"Yeah, say whatever you want, Rose" Dom mocked me, while Ella laughed.

I shot a reproving glance to them, making them shut their mouths under my gaze.

The Hermione Granger look with Nana Molly's scold.

It just loses to aunt Ginny's mad face.

"Congratulations, Rosie" uncle Harry said to me elated "You are the first of this class to conjure a perfect Patronum charm!"

Everybody started clapping, making me crimson by the whole attention.

"Don't tell me she's winning a prize" Dom said aloud, ready to complain.

"Why is that?" Teddy asked confused.

"Because she and Malfoy already won a weekend in London in Potions class" another student said.

"Actually this weekend" Ella pointed out.

Merlin, I had totally forgotten, after everything that happened.

I looked quickly to Scorpius, who had a worried gaze. We glanced to my dad who had an impressed expression on his face.

"Seamus improved Slughorn's prizes, uh Harry?" dad simply said to my uncle.

"Indeed, I only got a Felix Felicis" uncle Harry replied.

"Because you cheated, mum said" I remembered them, earning a grimace from both.

"She's really Hermione's daughter" my godfather mocked me, making me giggle.

"I know, imagine dealing with two Hermiones at home"

"Hey!" I protested, hugging my dad as the rest of the class got back to trying to conjure the Patronum charm.

"So, weekend in London with Scorpius?" dad asked me, pretending to be suspicious.

He likes Scorpius so much, and is so aware of our animosity, that he isn't even bothered about it.

Dad even tells me sometimes to be less mean to Malfoy, can you believe it?

"With Malfoy, dad" I corrected him, making Dom and Ella roll their eyes and Scorpius smirk from my side eye.

"If it was with any other boy I would be worried, but he's a good lad" dad said to me, both of us looking to Scorpius as he conjured the second Patronum charm of the class.

His animal was a lion.

"How ironical, Malfoy" I teased him, who looked annoyed to me.

"Thank you Merlin that I don't have to worry about my little girl marrying a pure blood" dad said to me, looking proudly to Scorpius "You loathe the guy, you should be less harsh on him Rosie"

I almost slapped my face as dad left, walking to Scorpius to congratulate him, while Dom and Ella came to my side, laughing so hard that I had to scold them.

"He has no idea how much you loathe Scorpius" Dom mocked me, making me slap her in her head "Ouch, you're so harsh!" she teased me using my dad's choice of vocabulary.

Weekend in London with Malfoy.

Just the two of us.

Alone.

Here we come.

* * *

 _ **Author's Note:**_ Hello, folks!

I hope you enjoy Chapter 32, it wasn't easy to write, but I'm waiting for your review to know your opinion about it!

Can't believe my story is reaching 100 reviews, what a dream come true! Quite unbelievable!

Thank you for your support, from those who simply read, and to my reviewers that help me so much to keep motivated to write more and more!

London weekend next chapter, I'm as excited as you guys!

I'll try to update sooner!

A special thank you to my reviewers from last Chapter:

 _Guest 1_ – Hey, thank you so much for your review! Pardon me for being so predictable, but what is a fanfic without cheesy moments like this? I owe you guys for the lack of Scorose! Hope you enjoy Chapter 32!

 _soraine28_ – Thank you so much for your review and for being so nice! Hope you enjoy Chapter 32 and sorry for taking so long to update!

 _Aliza_ – Hello, thank you for reviewing! It means a lot to me! Hope you enjoy this chapter!

 _Guest 2_ – Thank you for your review! Hope you enjoyed the update!

Much love,

 _Binki_


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